University of Virginia Library

Garden Songs

Little Green Hummer

Little green Hummer
Was born in the summer;
His coat was as bright
As the emerald's light.
Short was his song,
Though his bill it was long;
His weight altogether
Not more than a feather.
From dipping his head
In the sunset red,
And gilding his side
In its fiery tide,
He gleamed like a jewel,
And darted around,
'Twixt sunlight and starlight,
Ne'er touching the ground.
Now over a blossom,
Now under, now in it;
Here, there, and everywhere,
All in a minute.
Ah! never he cared
Who wondered and stared,—
His life was completeness
Of pleasure and sweetness;
He revelled in lightness,
In fleetness and brightness,
This sweet little Hummer
That came with the summer.

[Gluck! gluck! From under a log]

Gluck! gluck! From under a log,
Squatting and leaping, comes Flucky the Frog.
Wide is his mouth, and spreading his toes;
Very elastic and shiny his clothes;
Though lofty his jumpings and brazen his stare,
He sees not the Hummer that flits in the air.

[Bright little buttercup, now you will show]

Bright little buttercup, now you will show
Whether my darling likes butter or no.
Buttercup, buttercup, will you begin?
Shine me an answer under her chin.

[Oh, I'd search the world over]

Oh, I'd search the world over
For one four-leaved clover!
Bend low, pretty grass, bend low!
Jump, little crickets! and tumble, you bees!
Green little grasshoppers, limber your knees!
There's one hidden somewhere, I know.

[Wire-locks, Curly-pate, Tangle, and Floss]

Wire-locks, Curly-pate, Tangle, and Floss
To make some fine curls they were quite at a loss,
Till they found them a field of the bright dandelion
And made the green ringlets “with only half tryin'.”

[Hollyhock, hollyhock, bend for me]

Hollyhock, hollyhock, bend for me,
I need a cheese for my dolly's tea.
I'll put it soon on an acorn plate,
And dolly and I shall feast in state.

Bumble of Bumbleby

Bumble of Bumbleby bumped his nose,
Trying to light on a damask rose;
He bumped his nose, but he didn't care
As he pitched about in the dizzy air.
Whenever he tried to his love to fly,
He would scurry ahead and pass her by;
So he tumbled at last on a larkspur near,
And buzzed his business into her ear.

[Sunlight or starlight]

Sunlight or starlight,
Tilly, my nilly,
Find me a stem
Of the tiger-lily;
I'll fill it full
From the fountain there
And flash the water
Over your hair!

[A lad of Nansook]

A lad of Nansook
A jewel-weed took,
And he pressed the end with a will;
The sudden report
Was capital sport,
And the seeds they are flying still.

[Blow loud for the blossoms that live in the trees]

Blow loud for the blossoms that live in the trees,
And low for the daisies and clover;
But as soft as I can for the violets shy,
Yes, softly—and over and over.

[Little Polly, always clever]

Little Polly, always clever,
Takes a leaf of live-forever;
Before you know it
You see her blow it,
A gossamer sack
With a velvet back.
How big it grows
As she puffs and blows!
But have a care,
It is full of air.
Unless Polly should stop
It will crack with a pop;
And that's the end of the live-forever;
But little Polly is very clever.

Burs

Dear me!
What shall it be?
Such sticky affairs
Did ever you see?
Let's make a basket,
Let's make a mat,
Let's make a tea-board,
Let's make a hat;
Let's make a cottage,
Windows and doors;
You do the roof,
And I'll do the floors.
Let's make a pancake,—
Stick them together;
See how they fasten
Close to each other!
Tied to one's heel
They would answer for spurs;
Ah, how we love them,
These comical burs!

The Ants

Good Mistress Ant, I pray, what is the matter?
Why this commotion without any clatter?
“Alack! alack! we're ruined, you see;
I've lost my children, and they've lost me!
Our houses have fallen, our city is shorn,
And thousands are murdered or running forlorn.
Ah me! who would think that such power to destroy
Could lurk in the heel of a bare-footed boy?”

[The Moon came late to a lonesome bog]

The Moon came late to a lonesome bog,
And there sat Goggleky Gluck, the frog.
“My stars!” she cried, and veiled her face,
“What very grand people they have in this place!”

[Ho, Dandelion! my lightsome fellow!]

Hobbledy Hops

Hobbledy hops
He made some tops
Out of the morning glory;
He used the seed,—
He did indeed;
And that's the end of my story.

Good Mistress Sundial

“Good Mistress Sundial, what is the hour?”
“Alack! to tell you I've not the power.
It rains; and I only can work, you see,
When the sun is casting his light on me.
I'm nothing at all but a senseless block
Whenever his beautiful rays depart;
But ask my neighbor, the Four-o'clock;
She carries the time o' day in her heart.”

[Something in the garden murmurs all the day]

Something in the garden murmurs all the day;
Something in the garden moans the night away;
Deep in the pine-trees, hidden from our sight,
It murmurs all day, and it moans all night.