OCK-A-BY, birdies, upon the elm-tree,
Where the long limbs wave gently and free;
Tough as a bow-string, and drooping and small,
Nothing can break them to give you a fall;
Rock-a-by, birdies, along with the breeze,
All the leaves over you humming like bees;
High away, low away, come again, go!
Go again, come again, rock-a-by-low!
Wonder how papa-bird braided that nest,
Binding the twigs about close to his breast;
Wonder how many there are in your bed,
Bonny swing-cradle hung far overhead.
Never mind, birdies, how lightly it swings,
Mother-bird covers you close with her wings.
High away, low away, come again, go!
Go again, come again, rock-a-by-low!
Rock-a-by, birdies, there's no one to tire;
Mother rides with you; her wings are like fire;
All the bright feathers are round you so warm;
Rain cannot reach you and wind cannot harm;
Pretty bird-babies, let baby go swing
In your high cradle, while mamma shall sing:
High away, low away, come again, go!
Go again, come again, rock-a-by-low!
ARCH! March! March! They are coming
In troops, to the tune of the wind;
Red-headed woodpeckers drumming,
Gold-crested thrushes behind;
Sparrows in brown jackets hopping
Past every gateway door;
Finches with crimson caps stopping
Just where they stopped years before.
March! March! March! They are slipping
Into their places at last-
Little white lily-buds, dripping
Under the showers that fall fast;
Buttercups, violets, roses,
Snowdrop, and bluebell, and pink, Throng upon throng of sweet posies, Bending the dewdrops to drink.
March! March! March! They will hurry
Forth at the wild bugle-sound-
Blossoms and birds in a flurry,
Fluttering all over the ground.
Hang out your flags, birch and willow!
Shake out your red tassels, larch!
Grass-blades, up from your earth-pillow!
Hear who is calling you-March!
The Nightingale and the Glow-Worm.
NIGHTINGALE that all day long
Had cheered the village with his song,
Nor yet at eve his note suspended,
Nor yet when eventide was ended,
Began to feel, as well he might,
The keen demands of appetite;
When looking eagerly around,
He spied far off, upon the ground,
A something shining in the dark,
And knew the glow-worm by his spark;
So stooping down from hawthorn top,
He thought to put him in his crop.
The worm, aware of his intent,
Harangued him thus, right eloquent:
"Did you admire my lamp," quoth he,
"As much as I your minstrelsy,
You would abhor to do me wrong,
As much as I to spoil your song;
For 'twas the selfsame Power Divine
Taught you to sing, and me to shine;
That you with music, I with light,
Might beautify and cheer the night."
The songster heard this short oration,
And warbling out his approbation,
Released him, as my story tells,
And found a supper somewhere else.
'VE watch'd you now a full half hour,
Self-poised upon that yellow flower;
And, little Butterfly! indeed
I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless! not frozen seas
More motionless! and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Has found you out among the trees,
And calls you forth again!
This plot of orchard ground is ours;
My trees they are, my sister's flowers;
Here rest your wings when they are weary;
Here lodge as in a sanctuary!
Come often to us, fear no wrong;
Sit near us on the bough!
We'll talk of sunshine and of song,
And summer days when we were young;
Sweet childish days that were as long
As twenty days are now.
-RHUDRHA, r-rhudrha, keep it up;
R-rhudrha, r-rhudrha, dip a dup; R-rhudrha, r-rhudrha, run along, Hear thee now the car-wheel's song.
R-rhudrha, r-rhudrha, moon or sun,
Round and round I ever run,
R-rhudrha, r-rhudrha, heat or cold,
Faster than the clouds are rolled.
R-rhudrha, r-rhudrha, thus I bear,
North and South and everywhere,
Hogs and cattle from the plains,
Corn and wheat and all the grains;
Fruits and flowers from softer climes,
Bells to ring the vesper chimes,
Lumber, stone, and lime, and sand,
Homes to build and rivers span;
Hearts a'weary, hearts a'glad,
Bonnie lass and lusty lad,
Men with minds on gold intent,
Holy men on missions sent.
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