!

'FRAID STARS

The stars are like us children here,
Not any older grown:
At night, the little 'fraid stars stay
Together in the Milky Way--
The brave ones stand alone!

THE STARS

The stars are lighted candles
Upon a Christmas tree;
(The branches, that they hang upon
We cannot ever see:)
On Christmas Eve the angels stand
About it after tea.

And if an angel's very good
He gets a present, as he should.

AS YOU WOULD BE DONE BY

Of course I believe in fairies!
Of course I know they're true!
--Just think, if you were a fairy,
And no one believed in you!

DRAWING

Upon my slate I draw
Strange things I never saw,
Nor you, nor any one!
But oh, it is such fun!

THE FISHING-POLE

A fishing-pole's a curious thing:
It's made of just a stick and string:
A boy at one end and a wish;
And on the other end a fish!

SYMPATHY

Little fishing-boat, a blur
On the ocean blue,
Don't you ever wish you were
A little taller, too?

I've a birthday! Look at me
As you dart and dip!
Grow, and maybe soon you'll be
A white-sailed ship!

THE FOREST SCHOOL

The little firs demurely stand
In studious rows, on either hand,
On winter days about like these,
All learning to be Christmas trees.

WHITE CHERRY

The moon's a white cherry,
For sale in the sky,
And each one admires it,
But no one will buy.

Oh, cherry that lies
On the shop-window shelf,
When I have a penny
I'll buy you myself!

THE INDEPENDENT KITE

A kite is very nice to own;
It never, never grieves you,
'Cept when it wants to play alone
And just goes off and leaves you!

PRACTICING

The black notes are the bridegrooms,
The white notes are the brides!
And I? Why, I'm the minister and all the guests besides!

FAIRYLAND SECRET SERVICE

A snowflake is a letter
A fairy in the sky
Is sending to the fairies here,
And, when they've read its message clear,
Lest any one should spy,
They purse their little lips and blow
To melt that tell-tale note of snow.
Oh, let us see if we can snatch
And read a Fairyland dispatch!

A BOOK

A book's a magic sort of thing
That makes you sailor, chief, or king;
When I am old, and own a shelf,
I think I'll have a book myself!

THE LONESO