From our happy home

A ship that cuts the dashing waves,And weathers every gale.What life is like a sailor’s life,So free, so bold, so brave?His home the ocean’s wide expanse,A coral bed his grave.’

Drives his white flocks from the sky;Now the flowers restOn their mother’s breast,Hushed by her low lullaby.Now the glowworms glance,Now the fireflies dance,Under fern-boughs green and high;And the western breezeTo the forest treesChants a tuneful lullaby.Now ‘mid shadows deepFalls blessed sleep,Like dew from the summer sky;And the whole earth dreams,In the moon’s soft beams,While night…

We are glad to see you here,For you sing ‘Sweet Spring is near.’Now the white snow melts away;Now the flowers blossom gay:Come dear bird and build your nest,For we love our robin best.

In a hole, under leaves,To eat some winter day.Acorns sweet are plenty,We will have them all:Skip and scamper livelyTill the last ones fall.’

For the dear God who loveth us,He made and loveth all.’

Around it wistful sunbeams quiver,But Music’s airy voice is fled.Spring mourns as for untimely frost;The bluebird chants a requiem;The willow-blossom waits for him;The Genius of the wood is lost.’Then from the flute, untouched by hands,There came a low, harmonious breath:‘For such as he there is no death;His life the eternal life commands;Above man’s aims his…

On the rippling waves, that brightly flowBeneath the flowering vines.Awake! Awake! for the low, sweet chantOf the wild-birds’ morning hymnComes floating by on the fragrant air,Through the forest cool and dim;Then spread each wing,And work, and sing,Through the long, bright sunny hours;O’er the pleasant earthWe journey forth,For a day among the flowers.Awake! Awake! for the…

Soft is the summer air;Gayly the wood-birds sing,Flowers are blooming fair.But, deep in the dark, cold rock,Sadly I dwell,Longing for thee, dear friend,Lily-Bell! Lily-Bell!Lily-Bell replies:Through sunlight and summer airI have sought for thee long,Guided by birds and flowers,And now by thy song.Thistledown! Thistledown!O’er hill and dellHither to comfort theeComes Lily-Bell.

I do love herLike a brother;Just to rideIs my delight,For she does notKick or bite,’

‘His legs were short, his feet were small,And this little man could not walk at all.’‘Chingery changery ri co day,Ekel tekel happy man;Uron odesko canty oh, oh,Gallopy wallopy China go.’‘Miss Ki Hi was short and squat,She had money and he had notSo off to her he resolved to go,And play her a tune on his…

To be placedFore damask roses.Yet, though thus respected,By and byYe do lie,Poor girls, neglected.’

Where birds, and bees, and butterflies,Would sing upon the hill.’