The lion's cub :: :: University of Virginia Library

“Where is the little lark's nest,
My father showed to me?
And where are the pretty lark's eggs?”
Said Master Lori Lee.
At last he found the lark's nest,
But eggs were none to see.

“Why are you looking down there?”
Sang two young larks near by:
“We've broken the shell that held us,
And found a nest on high.”
And the happy birds went singing
Far up the summer sky!

II.

“There's a little mill a-going,
I hear its whirr again.”
“No; 'tis but the house-fly
Buzzing in the pane.”

“Tis not a fly, but a fairy,
Such as dance in magic rings;
A wee, elfish miller,
With a wheel beneath his wings!

And his grist is the sunshine
Which through the window there
Into golden meal is powdered,
That dances in the air.”

III.

“I hope you'll not accuse me,
But excuse me,”
Said the simple Bee to the royal red Rose,
“If I take a pot of honey,
And don't put down the money,
For, alas, I haven't any, as all the world knows.

“Mister Bee, don't worry,
Nor be sorry,”
Said the queenly Rose to the poor, yeoman Bee:
“You've paid me for my honey
Much better than with money
In the sweet songs of Summer you sing and sing to me!”

IV.

Why did the snow keep falling?
What did the March winds say?
And why, when Earth was a-flowering,
Was April showering, showering?
I know, I know to-day.

The apple blossoms have told me,
And the twinkling dew on the spray,
They wanted to change their places,
And, putting on shining faces,
To be the beautiful May.

V.

“Give me a month,” said the Summer,
Demanding of Nature a boon,
“That shall make surly Winter forgotten,
And be with all sweet things in tune.

The skies must be blue, the Sun golden,
Love must light the white lamp of the Moon.”
The great Mother smiled, and kissed her,
And the smile and the kiss were—June!

VI.

When my ships come home from sea,
O how happy I shall be!
And my darling children, too,
Lorimer, and Bess, and Sue;
They shall share, and share with me,
When my ships come home from sea.

Lori shall have a silver hoop,
And a whistle of yellow gold;

And, every marble an agate,
More marbles than he can hold,
Never a boy so glad as he,
When my ships come home from sea.

And what shall Bessie have?
A comb of mother-of-pearl;
A diamond rose to light up her hair,
And never queen alive shall wear
Such robes as my sweet girl!
Many's the kiss she'll give to me,
When my ships come back from sea.

Sarah shall have a Paris doll,
That will wink with a knowing air;
And dishes of old, pink China,
And such a love of a chair!
O how happy all will be
When my ships come back from sea.

When will my ships come back?
As near as I can remember,
When the rose of June shall be blowing
In the cold winds of December;
Or when the snow of December
Drifts on the buds of June,
At twelve o'clock at midday,
Under the light of the moon.
Be sure, if sleeping, to waken me,
For then my Ships will have come from Sea!