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75
A Poet
The sun, the sea, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
“Hence! to the woods and earn your bread!”
The woods were deep with drifted snow.
“Seek till you find where violets blow,
And bring them home,” the step-dame said.
The woods were deep with drifted snow.
“Seek till you find where violets blow,
And bring them home,” the step-dame said.
The sun, the sea, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
76
Weeping she wandered through the snow;
The way was lone; the wind was bleak;
Weeping she went; she could not speak—
Her little heart was choked with woe.
The way was lone; the wind was bleak;
Weeping she went; she could not speak—
Her little heart was choked with woe.
The sun, the sea, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
Her own dear mother, if she'd known,
Had turned to violets in the mould;
But oh! the snow lay deep, and cold
Had frozen all the earth to stone.
Had turned to violets in the mould;
But oh! the snow lay deep, and cold
Had frozen all the earth to stone.
The sun, the sea, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
Within the woods the homeless maid
Found wreaths of snow and leafless trees.
She wanders on until she sees
A great fire in a wintry glade.
Found wreaths of snow and leafless trees.
She wanders on until she sees
A great fire in a wintry glade.
The sun, the sea, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
77
Approach, dear child, and have no fear!
Twelve stones were lying on the ground,
And twelve strange men were sitting round
The gladsome fire as she drew near.
Twelve stones were lying on the ground,
And twelve strange men were sitting round
The gladsome fire as she drew near.
The sun, the seas, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
And one, upon the largest stone,
Who held a staff the chief appeared.
Oh, white and old was he! His beard
Into his very lap had grown.
Who held a staff the chief appeared.
Oh, white and old was he! His beard
Into his very lap had grown.
The sun, the sea, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
The old chief smiled, and cried: “Soho!
What is't the little woman seeks?”
With great tears running down her cheeks,
She spoke and told him all her woe.
What is't the little woman seeks?”
With great tears running down her cheeks,
She spoke and told him all her woe.
The sun, the sea, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
78
“I have no violets, my dear;
My name is January,” he said;
“But March has flowers”—March bowed his head—
“Change places, Brother March; come here!”
My name is January,” he said;
“But March has flowers”—March bowed his head—
“Change places, Brother March; come here!”
The sun, the sea, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
March sat on January's seat;
The snow-drifts melted; grass was seen;
The trees exhaled a mist of green;
Soft breezes made the woodland sweet.
The snow-drifts melted; grass was seen;
The trees exhaled a mist of green;
Soft breezes made the woodland sweet.
The sun, the sea, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
And violets sprang in magic store,
And strewed with purple all the glade.
Oh, happy, happy little maid,
Fill full your tattered pinafore!
And strewed with purple all the glade.
Oh, happy, happy little maid,
Fill full your tattered pinafore!
79
The sun, the sea, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
A lark piped silvery on a cloud.
“There!” March cried gaily; “run away!
What ever will your step-dame say?”
And all the Twelve laughed glad and loud.
“There!” March cried gaily; “run away!
What ever will your step-dame say?”
And all the Twelve laughed glad and loud.
The sun, the sea, the forest wild—
All nature loves a little child.
All nature loves a little child.
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