 | Poems for children |  |
54
THE SCARECROW.
The farmer looked at his cherry-tree,
With thick buds clustered on every bough;
I wish I could cheat the robins,” said he;
“If somebody only would show me how!
With thick buds clustered on every bough;
I wish I could cheat the robins,” said he;
“If somebody only would show me how!
I'll make a terrible scarecrow grim,
With threatening arms and with bristling head,
And up in the tree I'll fasten him
To frighten them half to death,” he said.
With threatening arms and with bristling head,
And up in the tree I'll fasten him
To frighten them half to death,” he said.
He fashioned a scarecrow tattered and torn—
Oh, 't was a horrible thing to see!
And very early, one summer morn,
He set it up in his cherry-tree.
Oh, 't was a horrible thing to see!
And very early, one summer morn,
He set it up in his cherry-tree.
The blossoms were white as the light sea-foam,
The beautiful tree was a lovely sight,
But the scarecrow stood there so much at home
All the birds flew screaming away in fright.
The beautiful tree was a lovely sight,
But the scarecrow stood there so much at home
All the birds flew screaming away in fright.
The robins, who watched him every day,
Heads held aslant, keen eyes so bright!
Surveying the monster, began to say,
“Why should this monster our prospects blight?
Heads held aslant, keen eyes so bright!
Surveying the monster, began to say,
“Why should this monster our prospects blight?
55
“He never moves round for the roughest weather,
He 's a harmless, comical, tough old fellow;
Let 's all go into he tree together,
For he won't budge till the fruit is mellow!”
He 's a harmless, comical, tough old fellow;
Let 's all go into he tree together,
For he won't budge till the fruit is mellow!”
So up they flew; and the sauciest pair
Mid the shady branches peered and perked,
Selected a spot with the utmost care,
And all day merrily sang and worked.
Mid the shady branches peered and perked,
Selected a spot with the utmost care,
And all day merrily sang and worked.
And where do you think they built their nest?
In the scarecrow's pocket, if you please,
That, half-concealed on his ragged breast,
Made a charming covert of safety and ease!
In the scarecrow's pocket, if you please,
That, half-concealed on his ragged breast,
Made a charming covert of safety and ease!
By the time the cherries were ruby-red,
A thriving family, hungry and brisk,
The whole long day on the ripe fruit fed:
'T was so convenient! They ran no risk!
A thriving family, hungry and brisk,
The whole long day on the ripe fruit fed:
'T was so convenient! They ran no risk!
Until the children were ready to fly,
All undisturbed they lived in the tree;
For nobody thought to look at the Guy
For a robin's flourishing family!
All undisturbed they lived in the tree;
For nobody thought to look at the Guy
For a robin's flourishing family!
| Poems for children | |