have a secret to myself,
That no one else can see.
I hum it over to myself,
And no one hears but me.
—Something You don't know!
I knew long ago.—
And the more I never tell you it,
The more it gets to be.
That no one else can see.
I hum it over to myself,
And no one hears but me.
—Something You don't know!
I knew long ago.—
And the more I never tell you it,
The more it gets to be.
It makes me feel as purry
As the Kitten on your knee.
It makes me feel as round and warm
As the Sparrow on that tree;
It makes me puff my feathers out
The way he puffs out his.—
And if you think I haven't one,
I'll tell you what it Is,
—Maybe!
As the Kitten on your knee.
It makes me feel as round and warm
As the Sparrow on that tree;
It makes me puff my feathers out
The way he puffs out his.—
And if you think I haven't one,
I'll tell you what it Is,
—Maybe!
The Christmas Tree
know you're in the house;
I know you are in there;
I feel the green and breathing
All around the air.
I know you're safe and warm;
I know you're very near.
Oh, darling Tree,
Do you hear?
I know you are in there;
I feel the green and breathing
All around the air.
I know you're safe and warm;
I know you're very near.
Oh, darling Tree,
Do you hear?
I promised not to look
(The way I did before),
But I can hear you purring—
Purring, through the door:
A green, soft, purring;
Just as if you knew:
Everybody here
Loves you.
(The way I did before),
But I can hear you purring—
Purring, through the door:
A green, soft, purring;
Just as if you knew:
Everybody here
Loves you.
Don't feel lonely,
Now you are in-doors.—
Wait for all the shining things
To-morrow,—all yours!
Then you won't know what to think!—
All over Candle-light.
—Oh, darling Tree,
Good-night.
Now you are in-doors.—
Wait for all the shining things
To-morrow,—all yours!
Then you won't know what to think!—
All over Candle-light.
—Oh, darling Tree,
Good-night.
And I love you, I love you;
And everybody, too.
And so does the market-man
That brought us you!
And if you haven't Anything
For me, this year,
—I love you. Good-night!
Do you hear?
And everybody, too.
And so does the market-man
That brought us you!
And if you haven't Anything
For me, this year,
—I love you. Good-night!
Do you hear?
Candle-Light
hen I've wished on my first star,
While the rest begin,
And the grass is waking up,
Oh, She calls us in!—
Then She calls us in.
While the rest begin,
And the grass is waking up,
Oh, She calls us in!—
Then She calls us in.
But I wouldn't go, unless
I were sure there'd be
Something more like that, indoors,
Something more to see,—
Beautiful to see.
I were sure there'd be
Something more like that, indoors,
Something more to see,—
Beautiful to see.
So She lights the candle then,
Where the shadows are,
And it stands, and holds its breath—
Then it makes a Star,—
Then it makes a Star!
Where the shadows are,
And it stands, and holds its breath—
Then it makes a Star,—
Then it makes a Star!
I curl up for my good-night,
Dark, where I can see.
And I watch the Candle-light
Till It looks at me,
Oh, It looks at me!
Dark, where I can see.
And I watch the Candle-light
Till It looks at me,
Oh, It looks at me!
Cow-Bells
've followed till the Sun was down,
As low as to the very brink;
And still the pathway kept along,
Around the world, I think.
As low as to the very brink;
And still the pathway kept along,
Around the world, I think.
I've tried to find it, everywhere
A bell would clink, and clink, and call;
But someway I can never find
That Farthest One of all.
A bell would clink, and clink, and call;
But someway I can never find
That Farthest One of all.
I've been in all the tallest weeds,—
And thistles (with the loudest bees);
And once, across the stepping-stones
And through the cedar-trees.
And thistles (with the loudest bees);
And once, across the stepping-stones
And through the cedar-trees.
And now you hear it hushing up,
And then you hear it clink and clink;
And if you found it, it would lead
Around the world, I think!
And then you hear it clink and clink;
And if you found it, it would lead
Around the world, I think!
It sounds so small, and gold, and far—
Far-off, beyond the lily-pool;—
And so, as if there must be there
—Oh, something Wonderful!
Far-off, beyond the lily-pool;—
And so, as if there must be there
—Oh, something Wonderful!
Thunder-Storms
xcepting when they're very loud,
And then, when they're almost too bright,
I love to see a Thunder-Storm,
Excepting when it's in the night.
And then, when they're almost too bright,
I love to see a Thunder-Storm,
Excepting when it's in the night.
It's harder to remember, then:
It's Very Wicked not to trust
A Thunder-Storm. Because it's Sure
To know!—And then, besides, you Must.
It's Very Wicked not to trust
A Thunder-Storm. Because it's Sure
To know!—And then, besides, you Must.
For it will light your Heart up.—Yes;
The Deepest Darkness ever Made
Could Never Hide the Guilty One
... Who feels At All Afraid.
The Deepest Darkness ever Made
Could Never Hide the Guilty One
... Who feels At All Afraid.
The thunder is the best of all,—
Except the wading for the Birds;
And then, the Shining in the wet;
—Oh, and the Rainbow, afterwards!
Except the wading for the Birds;
And then, the Shining in the wet;
—Oh, and the Rainbow, afterwards!
Church-Time
t feels Forever without End,
The time I have to stay.
It's even harder to keep still
Than pray and pray and pray.
The time I have to stay.
It's even harder to keep still
Than pray and pray and pray.
The reading happens all the time;
The praying rolls along;
And something makes them always sing
A long, long song.
The praying rolls along;
And something makes them always sing
A long, long song.
So when I've nearly gone to sleep,
I make my Penny walk.—
I walk it up and down, to hear
The talk and talk and talk.
I make my Penny walk.—
I walk it up and down, to hear
The talk and talk and talk.
And if I lose it on the floor
Before they pass the Plate,
Why then there's nothing more to do
But wait—wait—wait.—
Before they pass the Plate,
Why then there's nothing more to do
But wait—wait—wait.—
Till, when you'd have to go to sleep
Or else you'd have to die,
They let you Out,—and straight into
The Sky!
Or else you'd have to die,
They let you Out,—and straight into
The Sky!
With nests all hiding up the Trees,
And Roads to make you Run:—
And everything like Squirrels!—
In the Sun—the Sun!
And Roads to make you Run:—
And everything like Squirrels!—
In the Sun—the Sun!
Angels
hey are more shy than Snow.
You may look up and try to see one there,
Just when you feel It breathing on your hair;
But then It has to go.—
Somehow, I know.
You may look up and try to see one there,
Just when you feel It breathing on your hair;
But then It has to go.—
Somehow, I know.
They want you to believe
How bright they are, and never try to see
Whether they keep their word. For that would be
As if they could deceive.
That makes them grieve.
How bright they are, and never try to see
Whether they keep their word. For that would be
As if they could deceive.
That makes them grieve.
So, if you want Yours near,
And hide your eyes and keep quite still; and say,
"Oh, I have Wanted you all day—all day;
Shine at me, Angel, dear!"
It will be Here.
And hide your eyes and keep quite still; and say,
"Oh, I have Wanted you all day—all day;
Shine at me, Angel, dear!"
It will be Here.
The Beggar-Man
e only looked like a Beggar-man,
As ragged, just, as any.
But he might have been an Angel, too.
So I gave him my penny.
As ragged, just, as any.
But he might have been an Angel, too.
So I gave him my penny.
I waited, till I thought I saw
Him shining through. And when he
Held out his hand, I watched for what
Would happen to my penny.
Him shining through. And when he
Held out his hand, I watched for what
Would happen to my penny.
He might have been an Angel, too!
But I know he wasn't any.
For he frowned at me, like that, you see,
When it wasn't but One penny.
But I know he wasn't any.
For he frowned at me, like that, you see,
When it wasn't but One penny.
And now that's gone; and I don't care.
I'd rather not have any,
Than keep it, if an Angel came
And asked me for my penny.
I'd rather not have any,
Than keep it, if an Angel came
And asked me for my penny.
The Green Singing-Book
don't know how to read the words,
Nor how the black things go.
But if you stand it up, and sing,
You never have to know.
Nor how the black things go.
But if you stand it up, and sing,
You never have to know.
The music sounds alike each time
When grown-up people play;
But every time I sing, myself,
It sounds a different way.
When grown-up people play;
But every time I sing, myself,
It sounds a different way.
And when I've sung the book all through,
And every page, around,
I stand it upside down and sing,
To see how that will sound.
And every page, around,
I stand it upside down and sing,
To see how that will sound.
I sing how all the things outside
The window look to me;
The shiny wrinkles in the road,
And then, about my Tree;
The window look to me;
The shiny wrinkles in the road,
And then, about my Tree;
I sing about the City, too,
The noises and the wheels;
And Windows blinking in the sun;—
I sing the way it feels.
The noises and the wheels;
And Windows blinking in the sun;—
I sing the way it feels.
And if a Sparrow flies across,
I put him in the Song.—
I sing whatever happens in,
To make it last for long.
I put him in the Song.—
I sing whatever happens in,
To make it last for long.
I sing about the things I think
Of almost everything.
Sometimes I don't know what to Think
—Till I begin to Sing.
Of almost everything.
Sometimes I don't know what to Think
—Till I begin to Sing.
Wing-Sprouts
t happens when the birds go by
And leave you far behind;
And you flutter, till you ache
All around your mind.—
Like a Flag,
Like a Flag
Flapping at the wind!
And leave you far behind;
And you flutter, till you ache
All around your mind.—
Like a Flag,
Like a Flag
Flapping at the wind!
It happens when you catch the hills
As blue as yesterday;
You hold your heart in both your hands,
Or it would fly away.
Yes, it would!
Yes, it would!
Away—away—away!
As blue as yesterday;
You hold your heart in both your hands,
Or it would fly away.
Yes, it would!
Yes, it would!
Away—away—away!
It makes your heart into a Bird
That darts, and leaps, and sings.
—Oh, feel my pinafore, high up!—
Oh, do you think it's Wings?
Do you think—
Do you think—
Oh, couldn't it be Wings?
That darts, and leaps, and sings.
—Oh, feel my pinafore, high up!—
Oh, do you think it's Wings?
Do you think—
Do you think—
Oh, couldn't it be Wings?
Early
like to lie and wait, to see
My Mother braid her hair.
It is as long as it can be,
And yet she doesn't care.
I love my Mother's hair.
My Mother braid her hair.
It is as long as it can be,
And yet she doesn't care.
I love my Mother's hair.
And then the way her fingers go;
They look so quick and white,—
In and out, and to and fro,
And braiding in the light;
And it is always right.
They look so quick and white,—
In and out, and to and fro,
And braiding in the light;
And it is always right.
So then she winds it, shiny brown,
Around her head into a crown,
Just like the day before.
And then she looks, and pats it down,
And looks, a minute more.—
While I stay here, all still and cool.
Oh, isn't Morning beautiful?
Around her head into a crown,
Just like the day before.
And then she looks, and pats it down,
And looks, a minute more.—
While I stay here, all still and cool.
Oh, isn't Morning beautiful?
The Wind's East
he Wind's east,—Oh, Oh!
Only a little while ago,
To-day was just like yesterday.
But now—now, only Now
The world's all turned some silver way;—
I know how,
I know how!
Only a little while ago,
To-day was just like yesterday.
But now—now, only Now
The world's all turned some silver way;—
I know how,
I know how!
The Wind's east,
The Wind's east!—
Salt, salt Wind that I love so.
All the things in the garden blow
Wavy gray;—and the Trees all know,—
Trees that never, never can go,
Must know how it would feel to be
There, where the Ships sail to and fro,
Ships on the blue, blue Sea!
And the homesick ones by the bridge up here
Are tugging to get their anchors clear,
And they reach up high, to see.
The Wind's east!—
Salt, salt Wind that I love so.
All the things in the garden blow
Wavy gray;—and the Trees all know,—
Trees that never, never can go,
Must know how it would feel to be
There, where the Ships sail to and fro,
Ships on the blue, blue Sea!
And the homesick ones by the bridge up here
Are tugging to get their anchors clear,
And they reach up high, to see.
They catch their breath when they feel the air,
And the rigging stirs, and the lanterns stare;
For they know the tide is high out there,
The gulls go skirling by, out there,—
The gulls and the Wind go free.
And they tug, and they pull, and they wonder so
When will the Captain let them go?—
Oh, Oh,—to Sea,
To Sea!
And the rigging stirs, and the lanterns stare;
For they know the tide is high out there,
The gulls go skirling by, out there,—
The gulls and the Wind go free.
And they tug, and they pull, and they wonder so
When will the Captain let them go?—
Oh, Oh,—to Sea,
To Sea!