 | Where Lilies Live and Waters Wind Away |  |
[Let others sing of water-falls]
Let others sing of water-falls
That streak with white the mountain-walls;
Or mighty rivers, on whose tide
The navies of all nations glide.
That streak with white the mountain-walls;
Or mighty rivers, on whose tide
The navies of all nations glide.
But I have found a simpler theme
In following the fenland stream,
That winds 'mid quiet fields away,
Where lilies live and children play.
In following the fenland stream,
That winds 'mid quiet fields away,
Where lilies live and children play.
BY THE RIVER.
She has taken her book
To the river-side:
At her favourite page
It opened wide.
To the river-side:
At her favourite page
It opened wide.
It is dull, she said,
In the house to-day;
And I have no one
To help me play.
In the house to-day;
And I have no one
To help me play.
And the butterflies
They fly too fast:
And I tumbled down
When I caught the last.
They fly too fast:
And I tumbled down
When I caught the last.
But here by the river
'Tis nice to sit,
And read a little,
Then think a bit.
'Tis nice to sit,
And read a little,
Then think a bit.
While the swallows sweep
On dark blue wings,
And the fishes rise
In widening rings.
On dark blue wings,
And the fishes rise
In widening rings.
And the water-lilies
Laugh in my face,
And the tall reeds curtsey
With courtly grace.
Laugh in my face,
And the tall reeds curtsey
With courtly grace.
And all the creatures,
And all the flowers,
Say—This little girl
Is a sister of ours!
And all the flowers,
Say—This little girl
Is a sister of ours!
WHAT THE FROG SAW.
A wise old frog sat under a reed
Where the river winds away:
“Good even!” said he: “Good even!” said I,
“And what have you seen to-day?”
Where the river winds away:
“Good even!” said he: “Good even!” said I,
“And what have you seen to-day?”
“This morning I saw six eggs,” said he,
“Where the river winds away:
And now there are six little ducks,” said he,
“All in the river at play.”
“Where the river winds away:
And now there are six little ducks,” said he,
“All in the river at play.”
THE LILIES.
What do the lilies hear,
That makes them look so gay,
As they lie and listen, where the broad leaves glisten,
And the great green rushes sway?
That makes them look so gay,
As they lie and listen, where the broad leaves glisten,
And the great green rushes sway?
They hear the mill-wheel lathering
Thro' the bright and busy hours;
And the laugh of the children gathering
The golden meadow-flowers.
Thro' the bright and busy hours;
And the laugh of the children gathering
The golden meadow-flowers.
But at even all is silence,
And the lilies hide themselves;
And are hushed to sleep in the waters deep
By the whispering water-elves.
And the lilies hide themselves;
And are hushed to sleep in the waters deep
By the whispering water-elves.
TRESPASSING.
“How I wonder what is meant
By that long word ‘prosecuted’!
What would happen, if I went
In there, where the paling's bent?
Perhaps it's some grand punishment
To grown-up people suited.”
By that long word ‘prosecuted’!
What would happen, if I went
In there, where the paling's bent?
Perhaps it's some grand punishment
To grown-up people suited.”
Little Maggie looked and sighed;
Nobody was there to see her;
The opening was so nice and wide,
She could squeeze through if she tried:
Soon she found herself inside,
Naughtier but freer.
Nobody was there to see her;
The opening was so nice and wide,
She could squeeze through if she tried:
Soon she found herself inside,
Naughtier but freer.
Oh, she gathered flowers of gold,
And she gathered flowers of white,
Gathered all her arms could hold;
Nobody came near to scold;
She grew bolder and more bold,
And ventured in outright.
And she gathered flowers of white,
Gathered all her arms could hold;
Nobody came near to scold;
She grew bolder and more bold,
And ventured in outright.
Suddenly two necks of snow
From the long reeds hissing rose;
Two great wings flapped to and fro,
Terrified poor Maggie so,
That in haste she turned to go
From such fearful foes.
From the long reeds hissing rose;
Two great wings flapped to and fro,
Terrified poor Maggie so,
That in haste she turned to go
From such fearful foes.
Help or harbour saw she none,
And the long grass caught her feet,
And she tried in vain to run;
All her little breath was done;
All her flowers dropped one by one
In her wild retreat.
And the long grass caught her feet,
And she tried in vain to run;
All her little breath was done;
All her flowers dropped one by one
In her wild retreat.
Safe at last! oh joy! to cling
To loving arms, as she saluted
Thus her mother wondering:
“Oh mother, mother, such a thing
Has happened! I've been trespassing,
And oh! so near got prosecuted!”
To loving arms, as she saluted
Thus her mother wondering:
“Oh mother, mother, such a thing
Has happened! I've been trespassing,
And oh! so near got prosecuted!”
THE BOY AND THE FISHES.
There was a little urchin,
Who tried to pull a perch in,
All by himself one day;
Who tried to pull a perch in,
All by himself one day;
But the line went crack,
And sent him on his back,
And the perch swam peacefully away.
And sent him on his back,
And the perch swam peacefully away.
But the perch swam about,
With the fish-hook in his snout,
Which all his brother perches thought so fine,
With the fish-hook in his snout,
Which all his brother perches thought so fine,
That they went swim, swim,
To get a hook like him;
And the boy had soon another on his line.
To get a hook like him;
And the boy had soon another on his line.
YELLOW FLAGS.
Oh, what a lovely flower,
Yellow like gold!
It is just like a fairy's bower,
Where the petals fold.
Yellow like gold!
It is just like a fairy's bower,
Where the petals fold.
And the dragon-fly is the fairy:
It was sitting here,
With its gauzy wings so airy,
Till I came near.
It was sitting here,
With its gauzy wings so airy,
Till I came near.
I wish in my lesson-hours,
For an exercise,
I might learn the language of flowers
And of dragon-flies!
For an exercise,
I might learn the language of flowers
And of dragon-flies!
For then when I came near them,
If they saw it was me,
They would stay and let me hear them
Talking quite free.
If they saw it was me,
They would stay and let me hear them
Talking quite free.
AN INVITATION.
Little fishes, little fishes,
Won't you listen to our wishes?
Come, come, come, and bite!
Pull the float down out of sight!
Won't you listen to our wishes?
Come, come, come, and bite!
Pull the float down out of sight!
Don't you find it dull down there?
Only water everywhere!
Never anyone to talk to,
Only just one way to walk, too!
Only water everywhere!
Never anyone to talk to,
Only just one way to walk, too!
Here it's much more interesting;
I know where a lark is nesting,
Over there among the broom;
And the cowslips are in bloom.
I know where a lark is nesting,
Over there among the broom;
And the cowslips are in bloom.
And so fast the hay is growing,
It will soon be ripe for mowing.
There's such lots of fun about:
Won't you let me help you out?
It will soon be ripe for mowing.
There's such lots of fun about:
Won't you let me help you out?
YOUTH AND BEAUTY.
Piggy-wig, O Piggy-wig!
What a pity
One so pretty
Must grow ugly, old and big!
Grunting, squeaking,
Almost speaking,
With your black coat brushed so neatly,
And your pink nose turned up sweetly,
I could really
Kiss you—nearly.
What a pity
One so pretty
Must grow ugly, old and big!
Grunting, squeaking,
Almost speaking,
With your black coat brushed so neatly,
And your pink nose turned up sweetly,
I could really
Kiss you—nearly.
Piggy-wig, O Piggy-wig!
What a pity
One so pretty
Must grow ugly, old and big!
What a pity
One so pretty
Must grow ugly, old and big!
MAUD AND MARJORIE.
Maud and Marjorie
Out in the meadows,
Playing in the sunshine,
Chasing the shadows.
Out in the meadows,
Playing in the sunshine,
Chasing the shadows.
Running, romping, racing,
Like two young fillies.—
“Look,” cried Marjorie,
“Look, what lovely lilies!
Like two young fillies.—
“Look,” cried Marjorie,
“Look, what lovely lilies!
“Let's make a chain of them,
As if they were daisies!”
Marjorie makes the chain,
Maud sits and gazes.
As if they were daisies!”
Marjorie makes the chain,
Maud sits and gazes.
They tie themselves together
With the lily-chain pliant;
Pretend they're prisoners,
Taken by a giant.
With the lily-chain pliant;
Pretend they're prisoners,
Taken by a giant.
Pretend the chain is iron,—
So the giant's cruel will is,—
Till a kind, lovely fairy
Turns it into lilies.
So the giant's cruel will is,—
Till a kind, lovely fairy
Turns it into lilies.
THE THREE PRINCESSES.
At home in Father's garden
There grows an apple tree;
Where the children play at being
Princesses, one, two, three.
There grows an apple tree;
Where the children play at being
Princesses, one, two, three.
“Look!” says one, “The morning
Is already come!”
“Hark!” the next one answers,
“I can hear the drum!”
Is already come!”
“Hark!” the next one answers,
“I can hear the drum!”
“Listen!” cries the last one,
“'Tis the gallant knight
Who for our deliverance
Marches to the fight.
“'Tis the gallant knight
Who for our deliverance
Marches to the fight.
“If he win the battle,
He will marry me;
Let him win or lose it,
He's the knight for me!”
He will marry me;
Let him win or lose it,
He's the knight for me!”
WATER-RATS.
Brother rat
By brother sat,
Far away from dry land;
A lily leaf
Their coral reef,
Or, rather, floating island.
By brother sat,
Far away from dry land;
A lily leaf
Their coral reef,
Or, rather, floating island.
There laugh they at
The coward cat
Who dare not cross the water.
Safe sitting so
They fear no foe,
Nor risk of sudden slaughter.
The coward cat
Who dare not cross the water.
Safe sitting so
They fear no foe,
Nor risk of sudden slaughter.
The food they eat
Is grasses sweet:
Nor rick nor barn they ravage;
This harmless folk
No hate provoke,
Nor persecution savage.
Is grasses sweet:
Nor rick nor barn they ravage;
This harmless folk
No hate provoke,
Nor persecution savage.
However wet
Their feet may get
They change not shoe nor stocking;
In furs all day
They swim or play,
And no one thinks it shocking.
Their feet may get
They change not shoe nor stocking;
In furs all day
They swim or play,
And no one thinks it shocking.
THE DESERTED HOUSE.
Nobody lives here now!
The wind and rain
Come driving through the broken pane,
Nobody minding how.
The wind and rain
Come driving through the broken pane,
Nobody minding how.
Mother told me once a story,
Which she said was simple truth,
How an old man grey and hoary,
Who had run away in youth,
Came back to this house one day
From a country far away.
Which she said was simple truth,
How an old man grey and hoary,
Who had run away in youth,
Came back to this house one day
From a country far away.
But he found the house left lonely,
And the garden, once so neat,
Overgrown with weeds; and only
As it used to be, this seat.
And he sat here, till the day
Faded in the West away.
And the garden, once so neat,
Overgrown with weeds; and only
As it used to be, this seat.
And he sat here, till the day
Faded in the West away.
Suddenly he saw before him
Someone coming to the place,
And a wondrous joy came o'er him,
When he saw the woman's face.
She was wrinkled, old and grey,
But he knew her face that day.
Someone coming to the place,
And a wondrous joy came o'er him,
When he saw the woman's face.
She was wrinkled, old and grey,
But he knew her face that day.
And he knew she was his sister,
And he called her by her name,
Took her in his arms and kissed her;
And she told him how she came
From the almshouse every day
To that seat, for him to pray.
And he called her by her name,
Took her in his arms and kissed her;
And she told him how she came
From the almshouse every day
To that seat, for him to pray.
Mother said they lived together
In this cottage till they died;
Then 'twas left to wind and weather.
In the churchyard side by side
They are sleeping, and their green
Grassy graves may yet be seen.
In this cottage till they died;
Then 'twas left to wind and weather.
In the churchyard side by side
They are sleeping, and their green
Grassy graves may yet be seen.
So nobody lives here now!
The wind and rain
Come driving through the broken pane,
Nobody minding how.
The wind and rain
Come driving through the broken pane,
Nobody minding how.
JESSIE'S STORY.
One Summer day, when the wind blew soft,
Willie had tied his kite in the croft.
Willie had tied his kite in the croft.
Up, up it flew, till it went so high,
I thought it wanted to touch the sky.
I thought it wanted to touch the sky.
It tugged and pulled like a living thing;
I was sorry for it, and undid the string.
I was sorry for it, and undid the string.
But it didn't do what I meant at all,
For over it turned, and began to fall.
For over it turned, and began to fall.
I called to Willie, and off we ran;
(It was out of sight before we began.)
(It was out of sight before we began.)
Across the meadow, and through the hedge,
And down the slope to the river's edge.
And down the slope to the river's edge.
And there in the rushes, a sad, sad sight,
Broken and torn lay the beautiful kite.
Broken and torn lay the beautiful kite.
And Willie wasn't angry, because
He saw how dreadfully sorry I was.
He saw how dreadfully sorry I was.
And as we went home, he explained to me
Why kites and things don't do to be free.
Why kites and things don't do to be free.
DREAMING.
Does she float in her dreams
Down more wonderful streams,
Where the lilies are silver and gold,
And the green rushy places
Are full of bright faces
Of fairies delightfully bold?
Down more wonderful streams,
Where the lilies are silver and gold,
And the green rushy places
Are full of bright faces
Of fairies delightfully bold?
Though the lilies she'd far
Rather have as they are,
And the river might be just the same,
And of fairies, sweet maid,
She's a wee bit afraid,—
Oh! if only the fishes were tame!
Rather have as they are,
And the river might be just the same,
And of fairies, sweet maid,
She's a wee bit afraid,—
Oh! if only the fishes were tame!
And the fishes below,
As they swim to and fro,
Do they come when she calls them, and take
The crumbs from her hand,
As the birds do on land?—
Oh, dear! what a pity to wake!
As they swim to and fro,
Do they come when she calls them, and take
The crumbs from her hand,
As the birds do on land?—
Oh, dear! what a pity to wake!
WHAT THE REED-WARBLER SANG.
Two little children, weaving knots
Of daisies and forget-me-nots,
Among the river reeds they heard
Twitter, twitter, a tiny bird.
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.
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.”
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.
And the children answered it in play.
“Tweet, Tweet!
Life is sweet;
Life is gay;
Work is play;
Play is work;
Nought doth irk.
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.”
Hour by hour
We entwine
Just for play,
On our fine
Holiday.”
LOTTIE AND DOTTIE.
THE LITTLE GIRL SPEAKS:I am Lottie:
This is Dottie;
He's my very, very own;
He's the saddest,
Prettiest, baddest,
Dearest doggie ever known.
THE LITTLE DOG SPEAKS:
I am Dottie:
This is Lottie;
She gives me food, and keeps me clean;
She's the haughtiest,
Prettiest, naughtiest,
Dearest mistress ever seen.
GOING TO THE SPRING.
Who goes to the spring against her will,
The water on her frock shall spill.
The water on her frock shall spill.
Who goes to the spring because she's told,
Finds the water weigh like gold.
Finds the water weigh like gold.
Who goes to the spring for mother's sake,
The fairies half her burden take.
The fairies half her burden take.
AN UNCONSCIOUS PHILOSOPHER.
There's an old farm house, with a field below,
And a donkey always stands there, so.
And a donkey always stands there, so.
Sometimes he is eating grass, or drinking;
But oftenest he is standing thinking.
But oftenest he is standing thinking.
And I've often wanted to find out
What sort of things he thinks about.
What sort of things he thinks about.
Does he think of the river always flowing,
Where it comes from, and where it is going?
Where it comes from, and where it is going?
Does he think of the people along the road,
What is their business, where their abode?
What is their business, where their abode?
He must have such lots to think about,
I only wish I could find it out!
I only wish I could find it out!
For I'm sure, he looks so wise when I pass,
That, though he's a donkey, he isn't an ass.
That, though he's a donkey, he isn't an ass.
THE VOYAGE OF THE KATE.
Hurrah for The Kate!—that's the name of this ship;
She's just coming home from an extra long trip:
She's just coming home from an extra long trip:
I am the Captain, and Baby's the crew,
And Jessie's the people on shore come to view.
And Jessie's the people on shore come to view.
She's been to the Indies for sugar and tea;
She met with rough weather—those ripples you see:
She met with rough weather—those ripples you see:
She nearly got wrecked on a dangerous reef;—
You can see it out yonder, that great lily-leaf.
You can see it out yonder, that great lily-leaf.
A pirate—the wicked old swan—came in chase,
But she showed him a clean pair of heels in the race;
But she showed him a clean pair of heels in the race;
And now she's safe home the excitement is great,
And the Captain and all shout “Hurrah for The Kate!”
And the Captain and all shout “Hurrah for The Kate!”
A HERO.
Do you know our dear old Nero?
He's a dog, and he's a hero!
Once,—'twas in his younger days,
When he was rougher in his ways,—
He's a dog, and he's a hero!
Once,—'twas in his younger days,
When he was rougher in his ways,—
He and I were romping here,
And my sister standing near,
When a push he chanced to give her,
And she tumbled in the river.
And my sister standing near,
When a push he chanced to give her,
And she tumbled in the river.
Yes, but hardly was she in it,—
In sprang Nero—in a minute
Caught her by the pinafore,
And drew her safely to the shore.
In sprang Nero—in a minute
Caught her by the pinafore,
And drew her safely to the shore.
So he really is a hero,
Isn't he, our dear old Nero!
Though he condescends to tricks,
Such as fetching walking-sticks.
Isn't he, our dear old Nero!
Though he condescends to tricks,
Such as fetching walking-sticks.
WINTER.
The world is cold;
The sun's grown old;
The trees are bowed;
Fields wear a shroud;
The stream is lead;
All things are dead.
A wind like the blast of death has blown,
And turned the living world to stone.
The sun's grown old;
The trees are bowed;
Fields wear a shroud;
The stream is lead;
All things are dead.
A wind like the blast of death has blown,
And turned the living world to stone.
The world is bright
With sudden light;
The sun's grown young;
Birds find a tongue;
Glitters each spray;
All things are gay.
It is only a warm little human maiden,
Who passes with blushes like roses laden.
With sudden light;
The sun's grown young;
Birds find a tongue;
Glitters each spray;
All things are gay.
It is only a warm little human maiden,
Who passes with blushes like roses laden.
O stream we have long time followed.
Where shall our farewell be?
Not where thy waves are swallowed
In the unremembering sea.
Where shall our farewell be?
Not where thy waves are swallowed
In the unremembering sea.
Rather, in a valley lonely,
When a sudden bend is nigh,
And the winds and the weeds hear only,
We will whisper our soft good-bye!
When a sudden bend is nigh,
And the winds and the weeds hear only,
We will whisper our soft good-bye!
| Where Lilies Live and Waters Wind Away | |