My Shadow
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Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
This delightful poem by Robert Louis Stevenson was published in “A Child’s Garden of Verses” in 1885. After reading the poem, students will respond to questions on the language and the theme.
Topic(s): Realistic Fiction. Skill(s): Theme, Context Clues, Rhythm & Rhyme. Genre(s): Poetry
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.
The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow-
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.
He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!
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