Ode to Childhood

Book excerpt: This is a celebration of children, of childhood and, in many ways, of being a parent. It covers some of the best poetry ever written about the charms, beauty, and love of children. British poets such as William Blake, Christina Rossetti, Milton, and Wordsworth rub shoulders with the best American poets, such as Walt Whitman and Longfellow. The poems range from the pain of losing a child to the humour of childish talk through to the profound love that being a mother or father can bring. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this is a book that would be enjoyed by any poetry enthusiast but also by anyone touched by a child in their life.