What I've Learned at School

by Robert Pottle

At school I’ve learned a lot of things

I really like to do,

like running in the hallway

and eating gobs of glue.

I’ve learned I’m good at making pencils

dangle from my nose.

I’ve learned to hum and pop my gum.

I practice, and it shows.

I’ve learned I like to cut in line

and love to cut the cheese.

I’ve learned to fake a burp, a cough,

and even fake a sneeze.

You’d think with all this learning

I’d be doing well in school,

but everything I learn to do

appears to break a rule.

An Autumn Greeting

"Come," said the Wind to the Leaves one day.

"Come over the meadow and we will play.

Put on your dresses of red and gold.

For summer is gone and the days grow cold."

At The Zoo

~William Makepeace Thackeray

First I saw the white bear, then I saw the black;

Then I saw the camel with a hump upon his back;

Then I saw the grey wolf, with mutton in his maw;

Then I saw the wombat waddle in the straw;

Then I saw the elephant a-waving of his trunk;

Then I saw the monkeys-mercy, how unpleasantly they-smelt!

At the Seaside

~Robert Louis Stevenson

When I was down beside the sea

A wooden spade they gave to me

To dig the sandy shore.

My holes were empty like a cup,

In every hole the sea came up,

Till it could come no more.

An Alphabet

~Edward Lear

A

A was once an apple pie,

Pidy

Widy

Tidy

Pidy

Nice insidy

Apple Pie!

B

B was once a little bear,

Beary!

Wary!

Hairy!

Beary!

Taky cary!

Little Bear!

C

C was once a little cake,

Caky

Baky

Maky

Caky

Taky Caky,

Little Cake!

D

D was once a little doll,

Dolly

Molly

Polly

Nolly

Nursy Dolly

Little Doll!

E

E was once a little eel,

Eely,

Weely

Peely

Eely

Twirly, Tweedy

Little Eel!

F

F was once a little fish,

Fishy

Wishy

Squishy

Fishy

In a Dishy

Little Fish!

G

G was once a little goose,

Goosy

Moosy

Boosy

Goosey

Waddly-woosy

Little Goose!

H

H was once a little hen,

Henny

Chenny

Tenny

Henny

Eggsy-any

Little Hen?

I

I was once a bottle of ink,

Inky

Dinky

Thinky

Inky

Black Minky

Bottle of Ink!

J

J was once a jar of jam,

Jammy

Mammy

Clammy

Jammy

Sweety-Swammy

Jar of Jam!

K

K was once a little kite,

Kity

Whity

Flighty

Kity

Out of sighty-

Little Kite!

L

L was once a little lark,

Larky!

Marky!

Harky!

Larky!

In the Parky,

Little Lark!

M

M was once a little mouse,

Mousey

Bousey

Sousy

Mousy

In the Housy

Little Mouse!

N

N was once a little needle,

Needly

Tweedly

Threedly

Needly

Wisky-wheedly

Little Needle!

O

O was once a little owl,

Owly

Prowly

Howly

Owly

Browny fowly

Little Owl!

P

P was once a little pump,

Pumpy

Slumpy

Flumpy

Pumpy

Dumpy, Thumpy

Little Pump!

Q

Q was once a little quail,

Quaily

Faily

Daily

Quaily

Stumpy-taily

Little Quail!

R

R was once a little rose,

Rosy

Posy

Nosy

Rosy

Bows-y - grows-y

Little Rose!

S

S was once a little shrimp,

Shrimpy

Nimpy

Flimpy

Shrimpy

Jumpy-jimpy

Little Shrimp!

T

T was once a little thrush,

Thrushy!

Hushy!

Bushy!

Thrushy!

Flitty-Flushy

Little Thrush!

U

U was once a little urn,

Urny

Burny

Turny

Urny

Bubbly-burny

Little Urn!

V

V was once a little vine,

Viny

Winy

Twiny

Viny

Twisty-twiny

Little Vine!

W

W was once a whale,

Whaly

Scaly

Shaly

Whaly

Tumbly-taily

Mighty Whale!

X

X was once a great king Xerxes,

Xerxy

Perxy

Turxy

Xerxy

Linxy Lurxy

Great King Xerxes!

Y

Y was once a little yew,

Yewdy

Fewdy

Crudy

Yewdy

Growdy, grewdy,

Little Yew!

Z

Z was once a piece of zinc,

Tinky

Winky

Blinky

Tinky

Tinkly Minky

Piece of Zinc!

All Things Bright and Beautiful

~Cecil Frances Alexander

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colors,

He made their tiny wings.

The purple-headed mountain,

The river running by,

The sunset, and the morning,

That brightens up the sky;

The cold wind in the winter,

The pleasant summer sun,

The ripe fruits in the garden,

He made them every one.

He gave us eyes to see them,

And lips that we might tell,

How great is God Almighty,

Who has made all things well.

A Light Exists in Spring

~Emily Dickinson

A Light exists in Spring

Not present on the Year

At any other period --

When March is scarcely here

A Color stands abroad

On Solitary Fields

That Science cannot overtake

But Human Nature feels.

It waits upon the Lawn,

It shows the furthest Tree

Upon the furthest Slope you know

It almost speaks to you.

Then as Horizons step

Or Noons report away

Without the Formula of sound

It passes and we stay --

A quality of loss

Affecting our Content

As Trade had suddenly encroached

Upon a Sacrament.

Above the Bright Blue Sky

~Albert Midlane~

There's a Friend for little children

Above the bright blue sky,

A Friend who never changes

Whose love will never die;

Our earthly friends may fail us,

And change with changing years,

This Friend is always worthy

Of that dear name he bears.

There's a home for little children

Above the bright blue sky,

Where Jesus reigns in glory,

A home of peace and joy;

No home on earth is like it,

Nor can with it compare;

And everyone is happy,

Nor could be happier there.