Where Lilies Live and Waters Wind Away :: :: University of Virginia Library

Where Lilies Live and Waters Wind Away

Verses by F. W. Bourdillon: Pictures by Edith J. Berkeley

Bourdillon, Francis William (1852-1921)

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

Two little children, weaving knots
Of daisies and forget-me-nots,
Among the river reeds they heard
Twitter, twitter, a tiny bird.

“Tweet, Tweet!
Life is sweet;
Life is gay;
Work is play;
Play is work;
Nought doth irk.

“Leaf and feather
All together
I entwine
Without rest,
All to line
My soft nest.”

Something like this it seemed to say,
And the children answered it in play.

“Tweet, Tweet!
Life is sweet;
Life is gay;
Work is play;
Play is work;
Nought doth irk.

“Leaf and flower,
Hour by hour
We entwine
Just for play,
On our fine
Holiday.”