THE CLOCK THAT AUTUMN WINDS

School is like a clock that stops In vacation time.

--Tick, tock; tick, tock-- A sing-song rhyme.

Every school day is a minute.

This clock has long minutes in it!

In vacation time it stops!

Not a sound at all!-- Not a tick, not a tock!

--Hanging on the wall Waits the clock until Fall finds it, Stands upon a chair and winds it!

CONVERSATION

In proper sentences of purr And monosyllables of mews When I have told my news to her, My kitten tells me kitten news.

THE HOMESICK STAR

The candle stood beside my bed And dropped a little tear; I sat up, shivering, and said, "I know you're lonesome here;

"You'd rather have the sky than me; You've been too kind by far To say so. Now I've guessed, you see, That you're a homesick star!

"I'll send you home again, for I Was homesick once, and know; And when you're safely in the sky And I am here below,

"Then don't forget me, candle, please, But twinkle very plain On dark, dark nights about like these Above my window pane."

Then, (though I am afraid at night That thieves might be about,) I screwed my eyes up very tight And blew the candle out!

THE LONESOMEST FAIRY

There's a dewdrop shining bright On the gra.s.s by the sun undried, It's a tear that fell in the night When the lonesomest fairy cried.

THE PRESENT

The sky is like a Christmas tree, The burning stars its candles be; The moon's a bulky gift and odd, Marked, "To the World, With Love, From G.o.d."

GRIEF

Forget it soon? It's 'cause I know That I'll forget, I'm crying so!

THE SAt.u.r.dAYS' PARTY IN FAIRYLAND

All the Sat.u.r.days met one day (Each was very polite, they say), They shook each other by the hand, And had a party in Fairyland!

They wouldn't let any Monday in, And not one Tuesday at all could win Her way past the supercilious crowd!

And Wednesdays--why, they weren't allowed!

Thursdays could only stand in the street And look through the door at the things to eat!

And the Fridays and Sundays pretended they Didn't like parties, anyway!

But the Sat.u.r.days had the greatest fun!

They played "Hop-scotch" and "Run-sheep-run,"

And "Frog-in-the-meadow," and "Pull-away!"

And everything else they wanted to play!

They used the Throne for "Musical Chairs"

As if the Fairy Queen's house were theirs!

In rooms enchanted they ran and hid, And whatever they wished they could do, they did!

And after they'd played and played and played, They had pink straws in their lemonade!

And the cookies and tarts were like a dream!

And all the Sat.u.r.days had ice-cream!

I'd my doubts when I heard--And you have yours-- But strange things happen on Foreign Sh.o.r.es!

And they say that the best fete ever planned Was the Sat.u.r.days' party in Fairyland!

THE SORROWS OF A SEAMSTRESS

I'm learning to sew; I'm basting And hemming, and all that.