Little White Lily

129

High rides the thirsty sun,

Fiercely and high;
Faint little Dandelion

Closeth her eye.
Pale little Dandelion,

In her white shroud,
Heareth the angel-breeze

Call from the cloud;
Tiny plumes fluttering

Make no delay;
Little winged Dandelion
Soareth away.

IIelen Barron Bostwick (1826

LITTLE WHITE LILY

From "Within and Without”

LITTLE White Lily sat by a stone,
Drooping and waiting till the sun shone.
Little White Lily sunshine has fed;
Little White Lily is listing her head.
Little White Lily said: “It is good,
Little White Lily's clothing and food."
Little White Lily dressed like a bride!
Shining with whiteness, and crowned beside!
Little White Lily drooping with pain,
Waiting and waiting for the wet rain,
Little White Lily holdeth her cup;
Rain is fast falling and filling it up.
Little White Lily said: "Good again,
When I am thirsty to have the nice rain.
Now I am stronger, now I am cool;
Heat cannot burn me, my veins are so full.”
Little White Lily smells very sweet;
On her head sunshine, rain at her feet.
Thanks to the sunshine, thanks to the rain,
Little White Lily is happy again.

George Macdonald (1824-1905)

WISHING

RING-TING! I wish I were a Primrose, A bright yellow Primrose, blowing in the Spring!

The stooping bough above me,

The wandering bee to love me, The fern and moss to creep across,

And the Elm-tree for our King!

Nay,--stay! I wish I were an Elm-tree,
A great lofty Elm-tree, with green leaves gay!

The winds would set them dancing,

The sun and moonshine glance in,
The Birds would house among the boughs,

And sweetly sing!

0-no! I wish I were a Robin, A Robin or a little Wren, everywhere to go;

Through forest, field, or garden,

And ask no leave or pardon,
Till Winter comes with icy thumbs

To rume up our wing.

Well-tell! Where should I fly to,
Where go to sleep in the dark wood or dell?

Before a day was over,

Home comes the rover,
For Mother's kiss, --sweeter this
Than any other thing!

William Allingham (1824-1889)

BEASTS, BIRDS AND FISHES
The Dog will come when he is called,
The Cat will walk

away;
The Monkey's cheek is very bald;

The Goat is full of play.
The Parrot is a prate-apace,

Yet knows not what he says;
The noble Horse will win the race,

Or draw you in a chaise.

Beasts, Birds and Fishes

131

The Pig is not a secder nice,

The Squirrel loves a nut;
The Wolf would eat you in a trice

The Buzzard's eyes are shut.
The Lark sings high up in the air,

The Linnet in the tree;
The Swan he has a bosom fair,

And who so proud as he?

Oh, yes, the Peacock is more proud,

Because his tail has eyes,
The Lion roars so very loud,

He'd fill you with surprise.
The Raven's coat is shining black,

Or, rather, raven-gray.
The Camel's hump is on his back,

The Owl abhors the day.

The Sparrow steals the cherry ripe,

The Elephant is wise;
The Blackbird charms you with his pipe,

The false Hyena cries.
The Hen guards well her little chicks,

The useful Cow is meek;
The Beaver builds with mud and sticks;

The Lap-wing loves to squeak.

The little Wren is

very small, The Plumming-bird is less; The Lady-bird is least of all,

And beautiful in dress.
The Pelican, she loves her young;

The Stork, his father loves;
The Woodcock's bill is very long,

And innocent are Doves.

The spotted Tiger's fond of blood,

The Pigeons feed on peas;
The Duck will gobble in the mud,

The Mice will eat your cheese.

A Lobster's black, when boiled he's red;

The harmless Lamb must bleed; The Codfish has a clumsy head,

The Goose on grass will feed.

The lady in her gown of silk

The little Worm may thank;
The rich man drinks the Ass's milk;

The Weasel's long and lank.
The Buck gives us a venison dish,

When hunted for the spoil; The Shark eats up the little fish;

The Whale produces oil.

The Glow-worm shines the darkest night,

With lantern in his tail;
The Turtle is the cit's delight-

It wears a coat of mail.
In Germany they hunt the Boar,

The Bee brings honey home;
The Ant lays up a winter store;

The Bear loves honey-comb.

The Eagle has a crooked beak,

The Plaice has orange spots;
The Starling, if he's taught, will speak;

The Ostrich walks and trots.
The child that does not know these thin-

May yet be called a dunce;
But I will up in knowledge grow,
As youth can come but once.

Adelaide O'Keefie (1776-1855?]

THE TIGER

TIGER! Tiger! burning bright,
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Answer to a Child's Question

133

in what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the Lamb, make thee?

Tiger! Tiger! burning bright,
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

William Blake (1757-1827]

"IMPER TO A CHILD'S QUESTION

Do

you ask what the birds say? The Sparrow, the Dove, The Linnet and Thrush say, "I love and I love!” In the winter they're silent—the wind is so strong; What it says, I don't know, but it sings a loud song. But green leaves, and blossoms, and sunny warm weather, And singing, and loving-all come back together. But the Lark is so brimful of gladness and love, The

green fields below him, the blue sky above, That he sings, and he sings, and for ever sings he“I love my Love, and my Love loves me!”

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834]