Poems Every Child Should Know (6 of 81)

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PART I. (CONTÂ'D)

THE BOY WHO NEVER TOLD A LIE.

"The Boy Who Never Told a Lie" (anonymous), as well as "Whatever Brawls
Disturb the Street," by Isaac Watts (1674-1748), are real gems. A few
years ago they were more in favour than the poorer verse that has been
put forward. But they are sure to be revived.

Once there was a little boy,
With curly hair and pleasant eye--
A boy who always told the truth,
And never, never told a lie.

And when he trotted off to school,
The children all about would cry,
"There goes the curly-headed boy--
The boy that never tells a lie."

And everybody loved him so,
Because he always told the truth,
That every day, as he grew up,
'Twas said, "There goes the honest youth."

And when the people that stood near
Would turn to ask the reason why,
The answer would be always this:
"Because he never tells a lie."


LOVE BETWEEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

Whatever brawls disturb the street,
There should be peace at home;
Where sisters dwell and brothers meet,
Quarrels should never come.

Birds in their little nests agree;
And 'tis a shameful sight,
When children of one family
Fall out and chide and fight.

ISAAC WATTS.


THE BLUEBELL OF SCOTLAND.

Oh where! and oh where! is your Highland laddie gone?
He's gone to fight the French for King George upon the throne;
And it's oh! in my heart how I wish him safe at home.

Oh where! and oh where! does your Highland laddie dwell?
He dwells in merry Scotland at the sign of the Bluebell;
And it's oh! in my heart that I love my laddie well.


IF I HAD BUT TWO LITTLE WINGS.

"If I Had But Two Little Wings," by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
(1772-1834), is recommended by a number of teachers and school-girls.

If I had but two little wings
And were a little feathery bird,
To you I'd fly, my dear!
But thoughts like these are idle things
And I stay here.

But in my sleep to you I fly:
I'm always with you in my sleep!
The world is all one's own.
And then one wakes, and where am I?
All, all alone.

SAMUEL T. COLERIDGE.


A FAREWELL.

"A Farewell," by Charles Kingsley (1819-75), makes it seem worth while
to be good.

My fairest child, I have no song to give you;
No lark could pipe to skies so dull and gray;
Yet, ere we part, one lesson I can leave you
For every day.

Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever;
Do noble things, not dream them all day long:
And so make life, death, and that vast forever
One grand, sweet song.

CHARLES KINGSLEY.

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