I was missing my rocking chair when I first brought Rachel home, but I quickly realized it was no longer necessary. This poem, like “The House that Jack Built” grew out of that realization. Every night I rock her to sleep, but with very little effort on my part.

At the end of the day when I lay her down
In a soft pink blanket and a tiny nightgown
I love to rock my baby:
I sit in the seat and the seat rocks me
I hold her close and she falls asleep,
That’s how I rock my baby.

At night when I lay her down to rest
Like a little bird in a cozy nest
I love to rock my baby:
The boat rocks the seat
The seat rocks me
I hold her close and she falls asleep,
That’s how I rock my baby.

At night when I lay her in her bed
And she rubs her eyes and sleepy head
I love to rock my baby:
The water rocks the boat
The boat rocks the seat
The seat rocks me
I hold her close and she falls asleep,
That’s how I rock my baby.

As I lay her down in the dark of night
And she nuzzles me and I hold her tight
I love to rock my baby:
The waves rock the water
The water rocks the boat
The boat rocks the seat
The seat rocks me
I hold her close and she falls asleep,
That’s how I rock my baby.

Every night as I begin to rock
She grows as calm as a boat at dock
I love to rock my baby:
The wind rocks the waves
The waves rock the water
The water rocks the boat
The boat rocks the seat
The seat rocks me
I hold her close and she falls asleep,
That’s how I rock my baby.

That’s how it is when you live on a boat
Everything moves because it’s all afloat
It’s easy to rock a baby:
The world rocks the wind
The wind rocks the waves
The waves rock the water
The water rocks the boat
The boat rocks the seat
The seat rocks me
I hold her close and we fall asleep
That’s how I rock my baby.