ate, a pirate!
But if I were a pirate,
I couldn't have a pair of skates, a football, or a sled!
So, when I think it over,
Though I'd _like_ to be a rover,
I'd rather live in our house, and be myself, instead!

[Illustration: I'D LIKE TO BE A PIRATE A SCARLET SCARF ABOUT MY NECK,
A CUTLASS AT MY WRIST]

OUR PLAYHOUSE IS SO NEAR TO FAIRYLAND--

Our playhouse is so near to Fairyland
I think the fairies come and peep, to see
How children play.

So sometimes when there's something in the grass
That sounds like fairies' footsteps very faint
Not far away,

We sit quite still, all on the playhouse wall;
But though we wait and wait for them to speak
They never do.

Our playhouse is so near to Fairyland
They'll come some day, and start to play with us,
I think, don't you?

NEW LEAVES

It doesn't do you any good to hide,
Trees! Everybody knows you're there inside!
Besides, although you think you're hid complete
--We see your feet!

BEACH BIRDS

Beach birds, beach birds, flying in to me,
From the wide, blue palaces of your home, the sea,
What have you to tell about, islands green and fair?
Stories of the ships that tramp the trail to Everywhere?

Have you seen a sailor lad dreaming at the wheel?
Have you seen the great sharks flash, white beneath a keel?
Have you seen the savages dancing in a ring?
Have you, on a desert isle, ever seen a king?

Beach birds, beach birds, flying in to me,
In some far, blue palace-hall of your home, the sea,
Will you tell the listening birds how, in a curious land,
Once--you saw a little maid, playing in the sand?

THE SKY'S SONG

The sky stands up to sing before us;
Each star's a word, the moon's the chorus!

A SPRING THOUGHT

The new birds tweet, and buds come sweet,
And puffy clouds are in the sky.
The world is full of little girls,
But very few as nice as I!

THE ZOO

We were walking in the zoo,
And all the animals looked at us;
The bear and the hippopotamus,
And quite a few
Lions and wolves and a yak and a gnu.
And we were glad some one had made
Cages around them, so that we
Could walk there and not be afraid:
But could just pretend that they were free;
And could eat us both--if they wanted to.

SIX IN JUNE

The leaves are born; the organ man
Has got a n