APRIL AND THE CHILDREN.
Bring your basket, Molly Miller,
Tie your kerchief, Susan Gray!
Come, while still the dewdrops twinkle,
O’er the hill with us away.
Every field is sunning, sunning
Broad its breast in morning’s blue;
Every brook is running, running,
Shall not we be running, too?
April calls from hill and valley,
Clad in fairy gold and green;
Bring your posies, Kate and Sally!
Gather round our maiden Queen!
Hark! the woods are ringing, ringing,
Thrushes trill and wood-doves coo;
All the birds are singing, singing,
Shall not we be singing, too?
Columbine, the airy lady,
Nods a greeting, light and free;
Where the leaves are cool and shady,
Violets spring for you and me;
Clover-top his red is showing,
Daisies peep in white and gold,
Tulips in the garden glowing,
Look! the orchard’s all in flower,
And the white and rosy bloom
Turns it to a royal bower,
Fairy April’s tiring-room.
Peach and apple, plum and cherry,
All the air with fragrance woo;
Since the world is making merry,
Shall not we be merry, too?
Leave your book now, Peter Ponder;
Leave your lambkin, Betty Brown!
Jack and Willy, Maud and Milly,
Tie the cap and kilt the gown!
When the sunbeams gay and glancing
Throw their golden smiles to you,
When the leaves are dancing, dancing,
Shall not we be dancing, too?
Ring-around-a-rosy-posy!
Hands across and back again!
Drop your courtesy, Jess and Josie;
Swing your partner, Mary Jane!
Trip and skip, and down the middle,
Till the Echo cries, “Halloo!
Since ’tis April plays the fiddle,
I will come and dance with you!”