QUEEN BERNGERD Long ere the Sun the heaven arrayed,For her morning gift her Lord she prayed:“Give me Samsoe to have and to hold,And from every maiden a crown of gold.”   Woe befall her, Berngerd. The King he answered Berngerd thus:“Madam, crave something less of us,For many a maid lives ’neath our swayTo ’scape from death could the like not pay.”   Woe befall her, Berngerd. “My... more...

Punky Dunk on a day in the middle of MayLooked around like a wise little cat,And he said with surprise: "Can I trust my own eyes?Well, what do you know about that?"   For a wagon of blue, with a man in blue, too,At the sidewalk was just backing up.And the man brought a crate that was heavy of weightAnd inside was a gay spotted pup.   Now Punky felt hurt as he gazed very pertAt the gay spotted pup in the box,For the pup was... more...

Punky Dunk, very sly, with a wink of his eye Strolled lazily all through the house; To the cellar he went and the morning he spent On a hunt for a fat little mouse.   "Over there by the coal," he said, "Mouse has his hole, So I'll sit there beside it and wait. There's a trap with some cheese just as nice as you please, And Mouse soon will come out for that bait."   Punky sat by the... more...

Punky Dunk, so fat, was a black and white cat Of exceedingly tender years. He had black on his nose and the tips of his toes, On the end of his tail and his ears. He cast his lot in a very soft spot For his bed was a box full of straw, And he slept all night with his eyes shut tight And his little black nose on his paw.       Punky Dunk would peep, though he seemed asleep,... more...

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock S'io credesse che mia risposta fosseA persona che mai tornasse al mondo,Questa fiamma staria senza piu scosse.Ma perciocche giammai di questo fondoNon torno vivo alcun, s'i'odo il vero,Senza tema d'infamia ti rispondo. Let us go then, you and I,When the evening is spread out against the skyLike a patient etherized upon a table;Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,The muttering retreatsOf restless... more...

Over Here Pledged to the bravest and the best,We stand, who cannot share the fray,Staunch for the danger and the test.For them at night we kneel and pray.Be with them, Lord, who serve the truth,And make us worthy of our youth!Here mother-love and father-loveUnite in love of country now;Here to the flag that flies above,Our heads we reverently bow;Here as one people, night and day,For victory we work and pray.Nor race nor creed shall difference... more...

THENAUGHTY PUPPIES Tiny and his Parents. There were two little puppy dogs,“Tiny” named, and “Toodles,”Who got into all kinds of scrapes,Like little foolish noodles. Tiny was a brownish dog,And Toodles was a white one;And Tiny had a cunning eye,And Toodles had a bright one. Tiny played all kinds of tricks.For which his parents chid him:And Toodles did—poor, foolish pup—Whatever Tiny bid him.  ... more...

MAY-DAY.   Daughter of Heaven and Earth, coy Spring,With sudden passion languishing,Maketh all things softly smile,Painteth pictures mile on mile,Holds a cup with cowslip-wreaths,Whence a smokeless incense breathes.Girls are peeling the sweet willow,Poplar white, and Gilead-tree,And troops of boysShouting with whoop and hilloa,And hip, hip three times three.The air is full of whistlings bland;What was that I heardOut of the hazy... more...

THE ROCK-A-BY LADY The Rock-a-By Lady from Hushaby streetComes stealing; comes creeping;The poppies they hang from her head to her feet,And each hath a dream that is tiny and fleet—She bringeth her poppies to you, my sweet,When she findeth you sleeping!There is one little dream of a beautiful drum—"Rub-a-dub!" it goeth;There is one little dream of a big sugar-plum,And lo! thick and fast the other dreams comeOf popguns that bang, and... more...

HARRY'S HORN-BOOK.   BOY   CAT.   DOG.   JUG.   COW.   PIG.   BED.   FOX.   COCK.   DUCK.   MILL.   GOAT.   STAG.   ROSE.   HARE.   BEAR.   LAMP.   HOUSE.   CLOCK.   PEARS.   GOOSE.   HORSE.   SHEEP.   CHAIR.   KNIFE.  ... more...