The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Table of Contents | |
Section | Page |
Start of eBook | 1 |
EVENING SONG. | 1 |
THE ROBINS. | 1 |
SNOW. | 1 |
HYMN. | 2 |
WELCOME. | 3 |
Twilight dews are on the roses,
Little birds are in the nest,
On the green the lamb reposes—
Rest thee, little darling,
rest.
While my babe is sweetly sleeping,
Silent stars are bright above,
And the angels’ eyes are keeping
Over thee their watch of love.
Precious child! may that blest Saviour
Who for us a child was born,
Guard thee now and guard thee ever—
Keep thee safely, night and
morn!
* * * * *
[Illustration]
Two little robins made a nest—
’Twas in the warm spring
weather;
They built it out of sticks and straws
And little bits of feather.
It was upon an apple bough,
With blossoms all around it;
So neatly wove and fitted in
That no one ever found it.
And there four little birds lay hid,
With nice green leaves to
shield them,
And there they peeped and flapped about,
And well the old ones fed
them.
And when the hawk comes hovering near,
The speckled hen gives a cry of fear,
And the little chickens, every one,
Up to her in a moment run,
Safely hide beneath her wings.
Oh! the nice old speckled hen,
With her pretty chickens ten.
* * * * *
LULLABY.
There, lullaby, and I will sing to you
A little song about a yellow
bird
That made a nest upon a currant bush,
And sung the sweetest that
you ever heard,
Lullaby,
lullaby!
There were two little birds that built
the nest;
One sat and sung upon the
garden wall,
The other, with her warm and downy breast,
Covered the eggs so beautiful
and small.
Lullaby,
lullaby!
One day some little birds came peeping
out,
And then they opened wide
their mouths for food;
The yellow birds flew down and skipped
about,
And brought them something
very nice and good.
Lullaby,
lullaby!
And so they grew and grew, till puss,
one day,
Tore down the pretty nest
with sudden rush,
But Johnny saw, and took the birds away,
And placed them in the nest,
back on the bush.
Lullaby,
lullaby!
The old ones found them safe, poor trembling things;
They smoothed and fed them,
and that very day
They taught them how to spread their little
wings,
And ’mong the garden
trees to soar away.
Lullaby,
lullaby?
* * * * *
The snow, the snow is coming,
So graceful and light,
All over every thing,
Beautiful and white.
A thousand, thousand snow-flakes,
They’re swimming in
the air;
They fall upon the cherry-trees,
And hang like blossoms there.
They are coming, coming, coming,
As far as I can see;
They ’light, like little fairy birds,
Upon the old oak tree.
Each flake of snow is pretty—
A spangle or a gem;
But they melt away in dew-drops—
I can not treasure them.
They melt beneath the sunbeam,
They sink into the ground,
And where they vanish, by-and-by,
Sweet flowers will be found,
And I am told they moisten
And make the flowrets grow;
So, welcome, very welcome,
Are the gentle flakes of snow.
Poor lammie! what a pity
One little foot is hurt,
And the face that was so pretty
Is covered with the dirt!
But up, and never mind it;
A little brook is near—
Among the grass you’ll find it—
The water’s cool and
clear.
I guess you will feel better—
Step in and take a drink;
That shallow brook of water,
With flowers around the brink.
* * * * *
LULLABY.
A woman gently rocks her easy chair,
With a sweet infant lying
on her breast,
The gentle motion waving her long hair,
As thus she sings her little
one to rest,
Lullaby,
lullaby!
Another twilight, and my heart is thrilled
Still with thy living beauty;
angel feet
This day have trod our threshold, but
to shield,
And not to bear thee hence,
my baby sweet.
Lullaby,
lullaby!
One radiant star is shining in the west,
A softer radiance is in thine
eyes;
Upon the slender stalk the blossoms rest—
A sweeter blossom on my bosom
lies.
Lullaby,
lullaby!
All thou mayest be I dare not image now,
As thou in life shalt bear
an earnest part;
Only I pray that on thy spotless brow
The seal of heaven be set,
and true thy heart,
Lullaby,
lullaby!
The dew is falling, and the leaves are
stirred
With a low whispering of love
and power,
And thou art sleepy now, my nestling bird,
Shut thy blue eyes as softly
shuts the flower.
Lullaby,
lullaby!
* * * * *
God who is in heaven
Made all the pretty flowers,
He sends the pleasant sunshine,
And sends the dripping showers.
He made all living creatures,
And the earth to bring forth
food,
And we will love and praise him,
For he is very good.
* * * * *
2.
Keep us in the midnight,
Saviour dear,
Through the hours of darkness,
Oh, be thou near!
Powerless and lowly,
We lean on thy arm—
Watcher of Israel,
Keep us from harm!
* * * * *
There comes a little bird
In at the door;
Do see! Upon my word,
It’s on the floor.
Little bird, come and stay;
Here you are welcome,
Or you may fly away
To your own home.
I will give you bread,
Much as you say;
After you have fed,
You may skip away.
There, on the cherry-tree,
Build your downy nest,
Or in any other
That you like best,
Little birds, pretty birds,
Come to my door;
If you have no words,
Sing out for more!