Grasshopper Green

Grasshopper Green

by George Cooper

Grasshopper Green is a comical chap;
He lives on the best of fare.
Bright little trousers, jacket and cap,
These are his summer wear.
Out in the meadow he loves to go,
Playing away in the sun;
lts hopperty, skipperty, high and low -
Summer's the time for fun.

Grasshopper Green has a dozen wee boys,
And soon as their legs grow strong
Each of them joins in his frolicsome joys,
Singing his merry song.
Under the hedge in a happy row
Soon as the day has begun
lts hopperty, skipperty, high and low -
Summer;s the time for fun.

Grasshopper Green has a quaint little house.
It's under the hedge to stay.
Grandmother Spider, as still as a mouse,
Watches him over the way.
Gladly he's calling the children, I know,
Out in the beautiful sun;
It's hopperty, skipperty, high and low -

Summer's the time for fun.

How The Little Kite Learned to Fly

 How The Little Kite Learned to Fly

by Katherine Pyle

"I never can do it," the little kite said,

As he looked at the others high over his head;

"I know I should fall if I tried to fly."

"Try," said the big kite; "only try,

Or I fear you never will learn at all."

But the little kite said, "I'm afraid I'll fall."

The big kite nodded: "Ah, well, good-by;

I'm off "; and he rose toward the tranquil sky.

Then the little kite's paper stirred at the sight,

And trembling he shook himself free for flight.

First whirling and frightened, then braver grown,

Up, up, he rose through the air alone,

Till the big kite looking down could see

The little one rising steadily.

Then how the little kite thrilled with pride,

As he sailed with the big kite side by side.

While far below, he could see the ground,

And the boys like small spots moving round.

They rested high in the quiet air,

And only the birds and clouds were there.

"Oh, how happy I am," the little kite cried;

"And all because I was brave, and tried."

Poems About Birds...

Time To Rise

by Robert Louis Stevenson

A birdie with a yellow bill
Hopped upon the window-sill;
Cocked his shining eye, and said,
"Ain't you 'shamed, you sleepy-head?"

Seven Little Chicks

by Wilhelmina Seegmuller

Seven little chicks go,

"Peep, peep, peep,"

Hunting where the grasses grow

Deep, deep, deep.

Then the mother hen calls,

"Cluck, cluck, cluck,"

Wishing every little chick

Luck, luck, luck.

Once I Saw a Little Bird

Once I saw a little bird
Come hop, hop, hop.
So I cried, "Little bird,
Will you stop, stop, stop?"

I was going to the window
To say, "How do you do?"
But he shook his little tail,
And far away he flew.

Little Cock-Sparrow

Mother Goose Rhyme

A little cock-sparrow sat on a green tree,
And he chirruped, he chirruped, so merry was he;
A little cock-sparrow sat on a green tree,
And he chirruped, he chirruped, so merry was he.

A naughty boy came with his wee bow and arrow,
Determined to shoot this little cock-sparrow.
A naughty boy came with his wee bow and arrow,
Determined to shoot this little cock-sparrow.

"This little cock-sparrow shall make me a stew,
And his giblets shall make me a little pie, too." 

"Oh, no!" said the sparrow, "I wont make a stew.
So he flapped his wings, and away he flew. 

There Was A Little Robin

by Wilhelmina Seegmuller

There was a little robin

Sat singing in a tree;

From early morn till dark he sang -

"The world was made for me."

Little Jack Frost

Little Jack Frost

by Charles Sangster

Little Jack Frost went up the hill,
Watching the stars and the moon so still -
Watching the stars and the moon so bright
And laughing aloud with all his might.
Little Jack Frost ran down the hill,
Late in the night when the winds were still,
Late in the fall when the leaves fell down
Red and yellow and faded brown.

Little Jack Frost walked through the trees; 

"Ah," sighed the flowers, "we freeze, we freeze!" 

"Ah," sighed the grasses, "we die, we die!"
Said little Jack Frost, "Good-by, good-by."
Little Jack Frost tripped 'round and 'round
Spreading much snow on the frozen ground,
Nipping the breezes, icing the streams,
Chilling the warmth of the sun's bright beams.

But when Dame Nature brought back the spring,
Brought back the birds that chirp and sing,
Melted the snow and warmed the sky,
Little Jack Frost went pouting by.
The flowers opened their eyes of blue,
Green buds peeped out and grasses grew;
It was so warm and scorched him so,
Little Jack Frost was glad to go.


Jack Frost
by Celia Thaxter
Rustily creak the crickets.
Jack Frost came down last night.
He slid to the earth on a star beam,
Keen and sparkling and bright.

Windy Poems

Little Wind

by Kate Greenaway

Little wind, blow on the hill top,
Little wind, blow down the plain;
Little wind, blow up the sunshine,
Little wind, blow off the rain.

The North Wind Doth Blow

 a Nursery Rhyme
The north wind doth blow
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then?
Poor thing!

He'll sit in a barn,
And to keep himself warm,
Will hide his head under his wing.
Poor thing! 

Blow Wind Blow

Author Unknown

Blow, wind, blow!
And go, mill, go!
That the miller may grind his corn;
That the baker may take it,
And into rolls make it,
And send us some hot in the morn. 

Winter Night

by Mary F. Butts

Blow, wind, blow!
Drift the flying snow!
Send it twirling, whirling overhead!
There's a bedroom in a tree
Where, snug as snug can be,
The squirrel nests in his cozy bed.

Shriek, wind, shriek!
Make the branches creak!
Battle with the boughs till break o' day!
In a snow-cave warm and tight,
Through the icy winter night
The rabbit sleeps the peaceful hours away.

Call, wind, call!
In entry and in hall!
Straight from off the mountain white and wild!
Soft purrs the pussy-cat,
On her little fluffy mat,
And beside her nestles close her furry child.

Scold, wind, scold!
So bitter and so bold!
Shake the Windows with your tap, tap, tap!
With half-shut dreamy eyes
The drowsy baby lies
Cuddled closely in his mother's lap.

October Wood

OCTOBER WOOD

Have you ever seen the glories
Of a dark October wood?
Have you seen the oaks and maples
Covered with a crimson hood?
Have you searched for nuts of brown,
When the frost was cracking nigh?
Have you tramped for bittersweet,
Out beneath an October sky?

Have you seen the golden pumpkins
When they lay upon the ground?
Have you stood beside the cornshocks,
When the fall comes slyly round?
Have you picked the clustered grapes
From their place upon the vine?
Have you seen the great, round moon
Rise behind a stately pine?

If you haven't seen these wonders,
Then you haven't lived at all;
You have missed a thousand pleasures
That are right within your call.
You have missed the joy of living,
You have missed a gift most dear
That Mother Nature on us bestows,
Each October of the year.

Halloween Signs

HALLOWEEN SIGNS

Have you ever seen,
Upon Happy Halloween,
How brightly the stars do shine?
Have you ever seen,
Upon Happy Halloween,
How stately is each forest pine?

The full moon above
Looks down on its love,
The beautiful world far below;
As it sails on high
In the blue-gray sky,
It sends down its brightest glow.
 

While the witches ride
And the goblins hide
All over the land and the sea,
The black cats prowl
And the night winds howl,
As the children laugh in their glee.

Did you ever know
A time could go
As quickly as Happy Halloween,
When witches and cats
And goblins and bats
Are everywhere sure to be seen?

Then hip, hip hurrah!
For Halloween
The delight of each girl and boy;
May ever it be
For both you and me
A time that all folks can enjoy!

The Unbeliever...

THE UNBELIEVER
[Recitation for a small child ]

I don't believe in ghosts, you know,
But still, the other night.
When everything was awfully quiet,
I had an awful fright.

Snug beneath the covers warm,
I'd been tucked an hour or more,
When I heard a rumbling racket,
Something like a muffled snore.

I wasn't scared, but, oh, my heart
Simply wouldn't stop a-jumping!
It bobbed about so in my bosom
That my very head was thumping.

Once again the grumbling, rumbling,
Sounded and it nearer seemed;
A light so white and scary-like
Upon my chamber wall gleamed.

Shadows seemed a-moving 'bout
And I felt a smothering fear
That I couldn't shake till safe
I was with Mother dear.

Now I don't believe in ghosts, you know,
And I'm not scared of any sound;
But I just don't take chances
When old Halloween's around.

My Choice

MY CHOICE

[Recitation for a lower-grade boy ]

Now, Christmas is a lot of fun,
When old Santa comes around,
And Christmas trees and holly
Deck 'most every store in town.
I like'to hear the lovely carols
And the tinkling of each bell;
But there's something coming now
I like more than I can tell.

Thanksgiving is a glorious day
On which to thank our Lord
For the blessings he has given,
From out his lavish hoard.
I like Grandma's good dinner, too,
On that bounteous fall day;
But there's another day, I'd pick.
If I were to have my say.

Old Halloween's the day I like,
With witches, owls and cats!
I like the shaky scarecrows,
With their queer old coats and hats!
I like the jack-o-lanterns,
With faces funny as can be.
In fact, I like, on Halloween,
Every single thing I see.

Is It?

IS IT?

Is that the wind a-howling
Round about my window pane?
Is that tapping, tapping made
By the steady drop of rain?

Is that rustling of leaves
I hear outside of the door?
Was that some one walking
On the upstairs bedroom floor?

Is that some one a-crying,
Or was it just the hoot of owl?
Was that some one moaning there,
Or was it just the wind's howl?

These and other questions
About things heard and seen
Keep a-crowding in my mind
Each year at Halloween.

The Merry Breeze

The Merry Breeze

by Enid Blyton

Round about the orchard went the merry

little breeze,

Playing with the butterflies and teasing all

the bees,

Sending showers of apple-blossom down upon

the ground,
And spilling half the dew-drops from the
grasses all around.

He ruffled up the feathers of the ducks a-sailing
by,
And hustled all the lazy clouds that floated in
the sky,
He swung the beeches to and fro, then darted
off again
To dry the shiny puddles scattered down along
the lane.

The chimney smoke he twisted in the queerest
kind of way,
Until at last the little breeze was weary of his
play;
He crept back to the orchard, where the
daffodillies peep,
And there it was I found him lying, curled up
fast asleep!

The Hiawatha Paper Cuts Restored

       Below are the Hiawatha paper cuts restored for those of you who are teaching Native American studies to your little ones, enjoy.

       The Song of Hiawatha is an 1855 epic poem in trochaic tetrameter by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow which features American Indian characters. Read more...

       Read the original poem by Longfellow here.

The wigwam of Nokomis.

Nokomis nursed Hiawatha.

Nokomis bound Hiawatha's cradle with the sinews of the reindeer.

Hush! the Naked Bear will hear thee!

The owls spoke their native language.

The birds hid their nests.

The birds sang to Hiawatha.

The reindeer, Hiawatha talked too.

I am Adjidaumo, the squirrel.

The warriors and the women all praised the hunter.
They called him Strong-Heart, Soan-ge-taha.
They called him Loon-Heart, Mahn-go-tay-see.

Hiawatha is running by the Big-Sea-Water.