When Old Jack died, we stayed from school (they said, At home, we needn’t go that day), and none Of us ate any breakfast–only one, And that was Papa–and his eyes were red When he came round where we were, by the shed Where Jack was lying, half-way in the sun And half-way in the […]

You and I, and that night, with its perfume and glory!– The scent of the locusts–the light of the moon; And the violin weaving the waltzers a story, Enmeshing their feet in the weft of the tune, Till their shadows uncertain Reeled round on the curtain, While under the trellis we drank in the June. […]

INSCRIBED IN “TALES OF THE OCEAN” This first book that I ever knew Was read aloud to me by you– Friend of my boyhood, therefore take It back from me, for old times’ sake– The selfsame “Tales” first read to me, Under “the old sweet apple tree,” Ere I myself could read such great Big […]

Dear old friend of us all in need Who know the worth of a friend indeed, How rejoiced are we all to learn Of your glad return. We who have missed your voice so long– Even as March might miss the song Of the sugar-bird in the maples when They’re tapped again. Even as the […]

Reach your hand to me, my friend, With its heartiest caress– Sometime there will come an end To its present faithfulness– Sometime I may ask in vain For the touch of it again, When between us land or sea Holds it ever back from me. Sometime I may need it so, Groping somewhere in the […]

Father all bountiful, in mercy bear With this our universal voice of prayer– The voice that needs must be Upraised in thanks to Thee, O Father, from Thy children everywhere. A multitudinous voice, wherein we fain Wouldst have Thee hear no lightest sob of pain– No murmur of distress, Nor moan of loneliness, Nor drip […]

INTENDED FOR A DINNER OF THE INDIANA SOCIETY OF CHICAGO Old Indiany, ‘course we know Is first, and best, and most, also, Of all the States’ whole forty-four:– She’s first in ever’thing, that’s shore!– And best in ever’way as yet Made known to man; and you kin bet She’s most, because she won’t confess She […]

Bound and bordered in leaf-green, Edged with trellised buds and flowers And glad Summer-gold, with clean White and purple morning-glories Such as suit the songs and stories Of this book of ours, Unrevised in text or scene,– The Book of Joyous Children. Wild and breathless in their glee– Lawless rangers of all ways Winding through […]

When I wuz ist a little bit o’ weenty-teenty kid I maked up a Fairy-tale, all by myse’f, I did:– I Wunst upon a time wunst They wuz a Fairy King, An’ ever’thing he have wuz gold–, His clo’es, an’ ever‘thing! An’ all the other Fairies In his goldun Palace-hall Had to hump an’ hustle– […]

There are many things that boys may know– Why this and that are thus and so,– Who made the world in the dark and lit The great sun up to lighten it: Boys know new things every day– When they study, or when they play,– When they idle, or sow and reap– But no boy […]

Awf’lest boy in this-here town Er anywheres is Elmer Brown! He’ll mock you–yes, an’ strangers, too, An’ make a face an’ yell at you,– “Here’s the way you look!” Yes, an’ wunst in School one day, An’ Teacher’s lookin’ wite that way, He helt his slate, an’ hide his head, An’ maked a face at […]

“Wasn’t it a funny dream!–perfectly bewild’rin’!– Last night, and night before, and night before that, Seemed like I saw the march o’ regiments o’ children, Marching to the robin’s fife and cricket’s rat-ta-tat! Lily-banners overhead, with the dew upon ’em, On flashed the little army, as with sword and flame; Like the buzz o’ bumble-wings, […]

Gracie wuz allus a careless tot; But Gracie dearly loved her doll, An’ played wiv it on the winder-sill ‘Way up-stairs, when she ought to not, An’ her muvver telled her so an’ all; But she won’t mind what she say–till, First thing she know, her dolly fall Clean spang out o’ the winder plumb […]

Wasn’t it a good time, Long Time Ago– When we all were little tads And first played “Show”!– When every newer day Wore as bright a glow As the ones we laughed away– Long Time Ago! Calf was in the back-lot; Clover in the red; Bluebird in the pear-tree; Pigeons on the shed; Tom a-chargin’ […]

Our three cats is Maltese cats, An’ they’s two that’s white,– An’ bofe of ’em’s deef–an’ that’s ‘Cause their eyes ain’t right.– Uncle say that Huxley say Eyes of white Maltese– When they don’t match thataway– They’re deef as you please! Girls, they like our white cats best, ‘Cause they’re white as snow, Yes, an’ […]

When Autumn shakes the rambo-tree– It’s a long, sweet way across the orchard!– The bird sings low as the bumble-bee– It’s a long, sweet way across the orchard!– The poor shote-pig he says, says he: “When Autumn shakes the rambo-tree There’s enough for you and enough for me.”– It’s a long, sweet way across the […]

Parunts knows lots more than us, But they don’t know all things,– ‘Cause we ketch ’em, lots o’ times, Even on little small things. One time Winnie ask’ her Ma, At the winder, sewin’, What’s the wind a-doin’ when It’s a-not a-blowin‘? Yes, an’ ‘Del’, that very day, When we’re nearly froze out, He ask’ […]

I A little boy once played so loud That the Thunder, up in a thunder-cloud, Said, “Since I can’t be heard, why, then I’ll never, never thunder again!” II And a little girl once kept so still That she heard a fly on the window-sill Whisper and say to a lady-bird,– “She’s the stilliest child […]

I want to be a Soldier!– A Soldier!– A Soldier!– I want to be a Soldier, with a sabre in my hand Or a little carbine rifle, or a musket on my shoulder, Or just a snare-drum, snarling in the middle of the band; I want to hear, high overhead, The Old Flag flap her […]

Scene.– A kitchen.–Group of Children, popping corn.–The Fairy Queen of the Seasons discovered in the smoke of the corn-popper.–Waving her wand, and, with eerie, sharp, imperious ejaculations, addressing the bespelled auditors, who neither see nor hear her nor suspect her presence. QUEEN Summer or Winter or Spring or Fall,– Which do you like the best […]