Child Songs of Cheer Part 8

He had painted frosty people, And a frosty church and steeple, And a frosty bridge and river tumbling over frosty rocks; Frosty mountain peaks that glimmered, And fine frosty ferns that s.h.i.+mmered, And a frosty little pasture full of frosty little flocks.

It was all touched in so lightly And it glittered, oh, so whitely, That I gazed and gazed in wonder at the lovely painted pane; Then the sun rose high and higher With his wand of golden fire Till, alas, my picture vanished and I looked for it in vain!

THE FIRST SNOW

The snow! the snow! Whoop! Hooray! Ho! Ho!

Plunge in the deep drifts and toss it up so!

Rollick and roll in the feathery fleece Plucked out of the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of the marvelous geese By the little old woman who lives in the sky; Have ever you seen her? No, neither have I!

GRANDFATHER KNOWS

Grandfather says of all things The silliest he's heard Is that some children call things They've never seen, "absurd!"

And have their doubts of true things, And won't believe, because They say, "If you but knew things, There _is_ no Santa Claus!"

Grandfather says he _knows_ him, And sees him every year, And Santa often shows him The playthings he brings here; He says, too, Santa told him If any girls and boys Laugh at and won't uphold him, They'll not get any toys!

SLEIGH-BELLS

Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle!

Happy winter-time!

Baby's eyes a-twinkle, Hear the sleigh-bells chime!

Each one rings a merry Ting-a-ling-a-ling!

For a sleigh-bell fairy Hides inside to sing.

See them quake and quiver, Up and downward tossed, Seems as if they s.h.i.+ver In the nipping frost!

s.h.i.+ver into laughter, Jolly little elves!

Till we laugh thereafter, Merry as themselves!

THE RED-BIRD

Swept lightly by the south wind The elm-leaves softly stirred, And in their pale green cl.u.s.ters There straightway bloomed a bird!

His glossy feathers glistened With dyes as richly red As any tulip flaming From out the garden bed.

But ah, unlike the tulips, In joyous strain, ere long, This red-bird flower unfolded A heart of golden song!

WILD BEASTS

I will be a lion And you shall be a bear, And each of us will have a den Beneath a nursery chair; And you must growl and growl and growl, And I will roar and roar, And then--why, then--you'll growl again, And I will roar some more!

WHEREFORE WINGS?

Heigho, sparrow! Reckless of the rain; When chill the cheerless wind grows, Chirping might and main!

Is it naught, then, when the rose Blows again?

Beating, sleeting on your draggled coat!

Surely, 'tis enough to drown Any happy note Nestling in that downy brown Little throat.

Ah me, sparrow! Had I but your power, Think you in the freezing sleet I would waste an hour?

--I'd sing my sweetest to a sweet Orange flower!

BASKING

Frosty winter chased away By the blessed sun, Down upon the garden walks Basking has begun.

Oh, the happy, happy heat!

How the pulses stir, How it warms the hearts beneath Little coats of fur!

Oh, the happy p.u.s.s.y-cats!

Days to doze and doze, And what pleasant dreams they dream Only p.u.s.s.y knows.

WITH A MAY-BASKET FOR BABY AGNES

Peach-buds to meet thee, Robins to greet thee, Hey, little Sweetheart! and May morning, hey!

Sunbeam and sing time, Bluebird and wing time, This time is kiss time for sweethearts, I say!