A a

Ark

B b

Baby

C c

Cat

D d

Dog

E e
Ear

F f
Fan

G g
Gate

H h
House

I i
Inn

K k
Key

L l
Loaf

M m
Man

N n
Nut

O o
Owl

P p
Pan

Q q
Queen

R r

Rat

S s
Sea

T t
Tart

U u
Urn

V v
Vine

W w
Wall

Y y
Yew

Z z
Zebra

Two Little Dicky Birds

Watching a ball on the end of a string,

Watching it swing back and to,

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing

Ever a Kitten can do.

First it goes this way, then it goes that,

Just like a bird on the wing.

And all of a tremble I crouch on the mat

Like a Lion, preparing to spring.

And now with a terrible deafening mew,

Like a Tiger I leap on my prey,

And just when I think I have torn it in two

It is up in the air and away.

The Dog is black or white or brown

And sometimes spotted like a clown.

He loves to make a foolish noise

And Human Company enjoys.

The Human People pat his head

And teach him to pretend he’s dead,

And beg, and fetch and carry too;

Things that no well-bred Cat will do.

At Human jokes, however stale,

He jumps about and wags his tail,

And Human People clap their hands

And think he really understands.

They say “Good Dog” to him. To us

They say “Poor Puss,” and make no fuss.

Why Dogs are “good” and Cats are “poor”

I fail to understand, I’m sure.

To Someone very Good and Just,

Who has proved worthy of her trust,

A Cat will sometimes condescend—

The Dog is Everybody’s friend.

At evening when the lamp is lit,

The tired Human People sit

And doze, or turn with solemn looks

The speckled pages of their books.

Then I, the Dangerous Kitten, prowl

And in the Shadows softly growl,

And roam about the farthest floor

Where Kitten never trod before.

And, crouching in the jungle damp,

I watch the Human Hunter’s camp,

Ready to spring with fearful roar

As soon as I shall hear them snore.

And then with stealthy tread I crawl

Into the dark and trackless hall,

Where ’neath the Hat-tree’s shadows deep

Umbrellas fold their wings and sleep.

A cuckoo calls—and to their dens

The People climb like frightened hens,

And I’m alone—and no one cares

In Darkest Africa—down stairs.

The Kitten mews outside the Door,

The Cat-bird in the Tree,

The Sea-mew mews upon the Shore,

The Catfish in the Sea.

The Emu with his feathers queer

Is mewing in the Zoo.

Why is it that I never hear

A Pussy-willow mew?