Poetry (Grades 2-5) · Poem
We built a ship upon the stairs All made of the back-bedroom chairs, And filled it full of sofa pillows To go a-sailing on the billows.
We took a saw and several nails, And water in the nursery pails; And Tom said, 'Let us also take An apple and a slice of cake;'— Which was enough for Tom and me To go a-sailing on, till tea.
We sailed along for days and days, And had the very best of plays; But Tom fell out and hurt his knee, So there was no one left but me.
From A Good Play by Robert Louis Stevenson (1885). Public domain.
1. What did the children use to build their pretend ship?
2. How long did the children pretend to sail on their journey?
3. The children bring water in pails, an apple, and a slice of cake. Why do you think they brought these specific items on their ship?
4. The poem says they sailed for 'days and days' but also says they had enough food 'till tea.' What does this tell us about how time feels when you are playing a good game?
5. At the end of the poem, Tom falls out and hurts his knee, leaving the speaker alone. How do you think the speaker feels when the game suddenly stops?