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 pussy-cats!
Days to doze and doze,
And what pleasant dreams they dream
Only pussy 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!

Dearest, God bless thee,
Fold and caress thee,
Unto thy cradle may good fairies fly!
Fortune be fair for thee,
This is my prayer for thee,
Lullaby, little one, hush-a-by-bye!

So for a love now
Token thereof now,
Sweet, see this tiny May-basket I bring;
Posies to play with,
Pinks to be gay with,
Dear little baby of sunshine and spring!

THE LITTLE NEST

A little picture haunts me;
It comes and comes again;
It is a tiny bird's-nest,
All ragged