He gave silver shoes to the rabbit
and golden gloves to the cat
and emerald boots to the tiger and me
and boots of iron to the rat.
He inquired, “Is everyone ready?
The night is uncommonly cold.
We’ll start on our journey as children,
but I fear we will finish it old.”
He hurried us to the horizon
where morning and evening meet.
The slippery stars went skipping
under our hapless feet.
“I’m terribly cold,” said the rabbit.
“My paws are becoming quite blue,
and what will become of my right thumb
while you admire the view?”
“The stars,” said the cat, “are abundant
and falling on every side.
Let them carry us back to our comforts.
Let us take the stars for a ride.”
“I shall garland my room,” said the tiger,
“with a few of these emerald lights.”
“I shall give up sleeping forever,” I said.
“I shall never part day from night.”
The rat was sullen. He grumbled
he ought to have stayed in his bed.
“What’s gathered by fools in heaven
will never endure,” he said.
Blake gave silver stars to the rabbit
and golden stars to the cat
and emerald stars to the tiger and me
but a handful of dirt to the rat.