There is a Solemn Wind To-Night
by Katherine Mansfield
There is a solemn wind to-night
That sings of solemn rain;
The trees that have been quiet so long
Flutter and start again.
The slender trees, the heavy trees,
The fruit trees laden and proud,
Lift up their branches to the wind
That cries to them so loud.
The little bushes and the plants
Bow to the solemn sound,
And every tiniest blade of grass
Shakes on the quiet ground.
This Gloomy Northern Day
by Robert Louis Stevenson
THIS gloomy northern day,
Or this yet gloomier night,
Has moved a something high
In my cold heart; and I,
That do not often pray,
Would pray to-night.
And first on Thee I call
For bread, O God of might!
Enough of bread for all, -
That through the famished town
Cold hunger may lie down
With none to-night.
I pray for hope no less,
Strong-sinewed hope, O Lord,
That to the struggling young
May preach with brazen tongue
Stout Labour, high success,
And bright reward.
And last, O Lord, I pray
For hearts resigned and bold
To trudge the dusty way -
Hearts stored with song and joke
And warmer than a cloak
Against the cold.
If nothing else he had,
He who has this, has all.
This comforts under pain;
This, through the stinging rain,
Keeps ragamuffin glad
Behind the wall.
This makes the sanded inn
A palace for a Prince,
And this, when griefs begin
And cruel fate annoys,
Can bring to mind the joys
Of ages since.
What Man May Learn, What Man May Do
by Robert Louis Stevenson
WHAT man may learn, what man may do,
Of right or wrong of false or true,
While, skipper-like, his course he steers
Through nine and twenty mingled years,
Half misconceived and half forgot,
So much I know and practise not.
Old are the words of wisdom, old
The counsels of the wise and bold:
To close the ears, to check the tongue,
To keep the pining spirit young;
To act the right, to say the true,
And to be kind whate'er you do.
Thus we across the modern stage
Follow the wise of every age;
And, as oaks grow and rivers run
Unchanged in the unchanging sun,
So the eternal march of man
Goes forth on an eternal plan.
I used to read this to DD so often, she had it memorized by the time she was four (she's 22 now and still knows it)
Where ever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
"Where are you going today?'' says Pooh:
"Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too.
Let's go together,'' says Pooh, says he.
"Let's go together,'' says Pooh.
"What's twice eleven?'' I said to Pooh.
"Twice what?'' said Pooh to Me.
"I think it ought to be twenty-two.''
"Just what I think myself,'' said Pooh.
"It wasn't an easy sum to do,
But that's what it is,'' said Pooh, said he.
"That's what it is,'' said Pooh.
"Let's look for dragons,'' I said to Pooh.
"Yes let's,'' said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few-
"Yes, those are dragons all right,'' said Pooh.
"As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That's what they are,'' said Pooh, said he.
"That's what they are,'' said Pooh.
"Let's frighten the dragons,'' I said to Pooh.
"that's right,'' said Pooh to Me.
"I'm not afraid,'' I said to Pooh.
And I held his paw and I shouted "Shoo!
Silly old dragons!'' -and off they flew.
"I wasn't afraid,'' said Pooh, said he.
"I'm never afraid with you.''
Where ever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
"What would I do?'' I said to Pooh.
"If it wasn't for you,'' and Pooh said: ``True,
It isn't much fun for One, but Two
Can stick together,'' says Pooh, says he.
"That's how it is,'' says Pooh.
Thank you for sharing it with us!
