THE BLUEBIRD

To-day at dawn there twinkled through The pearly mist a flash of blue So dazzling bright I thought the sky Shone through the rifted clouds on high, Till, by and by, A note so honey-sweet I heard, I knew that bright flash was a bird!

THE ORGAN-GRINDER

Hark! I hear the organ-grinder Coming down the street, And the sudden clatter-patter Of the children's feet!

Come, oh, let us run to meet him!

Did you ever hear Tunes so gay as he is playing, Or so sweet and clear?

See the brown-faced little monkey, Impudent and bold, With his little scarlet jacket Braided all in gold!

And his tiny cap and ta.s.sel Bobbing to and fro, Look, oh, look! he plucks it off now, Bowing very low.

And he's pa.s.sing it politely-- Can it be for _pay_?

O dear me! I have no penny!

Let us run away!

THE NEW MOON

Pretty new moon, little new moon, Now, as first I look at you, I must make a wish, for wise folks Say it surely will come true!

Little new moon, pretty new moon, I wish--but I must not tell!

For if any one should hear it, Wise folks say it breaks the spell!

SHOWERY TIME

The April rain-drops tinkle In cuckoo-cups of gold, And warm south winds unwrinkle The buds the peach-boughs hold.

In countless fluted creases The little elm-leaves show, While white as carded fleeces The dogwood blossoms blow.

A rosy robe is wrapping The early red-bud trees; But still the haws are napping, Nor heed the honey-bees.

And still in lazy sleeping The apple-buds are bound, But tulip-tips are peeping From out the garden ground.

And yonder, gayly swinging Upon the turning vane, A robin redbreast singing Makes merry at the rain!

EASTER DAY

Christ the Lord is risen to-day!

Angels rolled the stone away From the tomb wherein He lay!

Little children, come and sing, "Glory, glory to the King, Christ the Lord of everything!"

THE SANDMAN

The Sandman! hark, I hear him!

He's coming up the stair, And everybody near him Is nodding, I declare!

He's peeping in the door now, And first of all he spies, As he has done before now, The little children's eyes!

Then quickly does he throw it, His golden sleepy-sand, And all, before they know it, Are off for sleepy-land!

DANDELION CURLS

Ah, ha, ha, now! who comes here Wreathed in flowers of gold and queer Tiny tangled curls of green Gayly bobbing in between?

Pretty token of the spring!

Hark! we hear the bluebirds sing When we thus see little girls Decked in dandelion curls.

POP-CORN

_Pop! Pop!--Poppetty-pop!_ Shake and rattle and rattle and shake The golden grains as they bounce and break To fluffy puffiness--_Poppetty-pop!_ Bursting and banging the popper's top!

_Poppetty-pop!

Pop! Pop!_

The yellow kernels, oh, see them grow White as cotton or flakes of snow!

_Pop! Pop!_ O-ho, how they frolic and fly about And turn themselves suddenly inside out!