Poems for Little Stars

Poems for Kids

The Arrow and the Song

I shot an arrow into the air,

It fell to earth, I knew not where; For,

so swiftly it flew, the sight Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air, It fell to earth,

I knew not where;

For who has sight so keen and strong

That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak I found the arrow, still unbroke;

And the song, from beginning to end,

I found again in the heart of a friend.

HENRY W. LONGFELLOW.

POEMS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW

The Babie Nae shoon to hide her tiny taes,

Nae stockin’ on her feet;

Her supple ankles white as snaw,

Or early blossoms sweet. Her simple dress o’ sprinkled pink,

Her double, dimplit chin, Her puckered lips, and baumy mou’,

With na ane tooth within.

Her een sae like her mither’s een,

Twa gentle, liquid things;

Her face is like an angel’s face: We’re glad she has nae wings.

JEREMIAH EAMES RANKIN.

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea

In a beautiful pea-green boat;

They took some honey, and plenty of money Wrapped up in a five-pound note.

The Owl looked up to the moon above,

And sang to a small guitar,

“O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love! What a beautiful Pussy you are,— You are, What a beautiful Pussy you are!”

Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl! How wonderful sweet you sing! Oh, let us be married,—too long we have tarried,— But what shall we do for a ring?”

They sailed away for a year and a day To the land where the Bong-tree grows,

And there in a wood a piggy-wig stood With a ring in the end of his nose,

— His nose, With a ring in the end of his nose.

“Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling Your ring?” Said the piggy, “I will.”

So they took it away, and were married next day By the turkey who lives on the hill.

They dined upon mince and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon,

And hand in hand on the edge of the sand

They danced by the light of the moon,— The moon, They danced by the light of the moon.

EDWARD LEAR.

Published by Djamel Benrejdal, Scarborough, North Yorkshire