“The Rainbow”
~Thomas Campbell

Triumphal arch, that fills the sky
When storms prepare to part,
I ask not proud Philosophy
To teach me what thou art.

Still seem, as to my childhood’s sight,
A midway station given,
For happy spirits to alight,
Betwixt the earth and heaven.

“In the Springtime Garden”

In the springtime garden,
Rosy morning glow,
Sunshine calling, falling, calling
Flowers wake and grow.

“Caterpillar”

Art by Margaret Tarrant

Caterpillar, crawling so slow,
Caterpillar, let me help you go,
Carrying my caterpillar showing all my friends
Caterpillar crawled somewhere…
I don’t know where he is.
Caterpillar, where did you go?
Caterpillar, crawling down my nose,
Caterpillar, crawling up the tree,
Caterpillar, eating all the leaves,
Caterpillar, getting big and round,
Caterpillar finds a branch to spin all around.
In his cocoon sleeping for some time
Dreams until he grows some wings
And becomes a butterfly.
Wake up! Wake up!

“Buttercups and Daisies”
~Mary Howitt

Art by Margaret Tarrant

Buttercups and daisies,
Oh, the pretty flowers,
Coming ere the spring time,
To tell of sunny hours.
While the tree are leafless,
While the fields are bare,
Buttercups and daisies
Spring up here and there.

Ere the snowdrop peepeth,
Ere the crocus bold,
Ere the early primrose
Opes its paly gold,
Somewhere on the sunny bank
Buttercups are bright;
Somewhere ‘mong the frozen grass
Peeps the daisy white.

Little hardy flowers,
Like to children poor,
Playing in their sturdy health
By their mother’s door,
Purple with the north wind,
Yet alert and bold;
Fearing not, and caring not,
Though they be a-cold!

What to them is winter!
What are stormy showers!
Buttercups and daisies
Are these human flowers!
He who gave them hardships
And a life of care,
Gave them likewise hardy strength
And patient hearts to bear.

“Two Little Clouds One Sunny Day”

Art by Margaret Tarrant

Two little clouds one sunny day,
Went flying through the sky,
They went so fast, they bumped their heads
And both began to cry.
Old Father Sun looked out and said:
“Oh, never mind, my dears,
I will send my little fairy folk
To dry your fallen tears.”
One came in pink and one in red,
The next in orange bright.
In yellow, green, blue, violet,
They made a pretty sight.
They changed the rolling, crying tears
To drizzling drops of fun,
And then the fairies laughed and said:
“We thank you, rain and sun.”

“In the Heart of a Seed”

Art by Jacob L’Admiral’s

In the heart of a seed, Buried deep so deep,
A dear little plant Lay fast asleep.
Wake, said the sun, And creep to the light.
Wake, said the voice Of the raindrops bright.
The little plant heard, And arose to see
What the wonderful outside might be.

“A Bunny Came to Call”

Art by Ohara Koson

A bunny came to call last night.
I did not see him. That is right.
But he was there. Here’s how I know.
He nibbled at my carrot row.

“I have Heard a Mother Bird”

Art by Ohara Boson

I have heard a mother bird
Singing in the rain
Telling all her little ones
Spring has come again.

“The Violet”
~Jane Taylor

Art by Cicely Mary Barker

Down in a green and shady bed
A modest violet grew;
Its stalk was bent, it hung its head,
As if to hide from view.

And yet it was a lovely flower,
No colours bright and fair;
It might have graced a rosy bower,
Instead of hiding there.

Yet there it was content to bloom,
In modest tints arrayed;
And there diffused its sweet perfume,
Within the silent shade.

Then let me to the valley go,
This pretty flower to see;
That I may also learn to grow
In sweet humility.

“Little White Lily”
~George Macdonald

Little White Lily
Sat by a stone,
Drooping and waiting
Till the sun shone.
Little White Lily
Sunshine has fed;
Little White Lily
Is lifting her head.

Little White Lily
Said: “It is good
Little White Lily’s
Clothing and food.”
Little White Lily
Dressed like a bride!
Shining with whiteness,
And crownèd beside!

Little White Lily
Drooping with pain,
Waiting and waiting
For the wet rain.
Little White Lily
Holdeth her cup;
Rain is fast falling
And filling it up.

Little White Lily
Said: “Good again,
When I am thirsty
To have the nice rain.
Now I am stronger,
Now I am cool;
Heat cannot burn me,
My veins are so full.”

Little White Lily
Smells very sweet;
On her head sunshine,
Rain at her feet.
Thanks to the sunshine,
Thanks to the rain,
Little White Lily
Is happy again.

“The Rainbow”

~Christina Rossetti

Boats sail on the rivers,

And ships sail on the seas;

But clouds that sail across the sky

Are prettier than these.
There are bridges on the rivers,

As pretty as you please;

But the bow that bridges heaven,

And overtops the trees,

And builds a road from earth to sky,

Is prettier far than these.

“The Baby’s Dance”

~Ann Taylor

Dance, little baby, dance up high,

Never mind baby, mother is by;

Crow and caper, caper and crow,

There little baby, there you go:

Up to the ceiling, down to the ground,

Backwards and forwards, round and round.

Then dance, little baby, and mother shall sing,

With the merry gay coral, ding, ding, a-ding, ding.