They always said the moon was far away,
A hundred miles or more up in the skies.
They said he never could come down to play.
They said a lot of things that sounded wise —
But they were lies.
So when folks say the moon is dead
I do not even shake my head;
I only laugh because I know
It isn't so.

Only the other night
I watched and saw how light
He leaped down from the skies.
And then, with crinkling eyes,
That seemed to say " I'm coming, "
He danced and started humming
So gaily and so brightly
That Wendy, who sleeps lightly,
(She's our canary) woke
And scolded when she spoke.
But on he came — so near
That he could almost peer
Into my room and see
Wendy, the toys and me.
Closer he came, until
His hands were on the sill;
They stretched and tried to get
My pail, my soldier set,
And, as he touched my broom,
He jumped into the room!
I knew then right away
He had come down to play —
And so without a word,
(For mother might have heard)
Making no talk or noise,
We played with all my toys.
I never had such fun
Before with any one. . .

After a while he had to go —
I tired him, I'm afraid;
And then I knew why I liked him so
When he played.

For his face — as fat as a face could be —
Was jolly, and powdered white;
And I knew why the stars must wink when he
Laughed all night.

I saw him dancing along a wall,
And jumping lightly down —
And I knew he wasn't a moon at all,
But a Clown!

So when they tell me corn-starch makes you strong,
And sitting still is good for tired eyes;
I think that very likely they are wrong;
And lots of other things that sound so wise
Are only lies.
I think about the way they said
The moon was far away, and dead;
And then I laugh because I know
What isn't so!