Poems (Bushnell)/The Little Maid's Song

by Frances Louisa Bushnell

XXX AUTUMN VOICES

I.

THE LITTLE MAID'S SONG

O happy, happy, shining day!
The time to dance and sing and play!
 I wish I only knew
Why all the clouds have gone to sleep,
And lie, like flocks of lazy sheep,
 Far up there on the blue.

The aster must be glad that nods
So cheery to the golden-rods,—
 Wide open is its eye;
And happy is the scarlet vine,
That runs along the dark green pine,
 As if to reach the sky.

This afternoon, down at the brook,
A bright-eyed squirrel stopped and took
 A dozen little drinks;
Some nuts were lying at my feet,
He looked as if he thought them sweet,
 And gave some knowing winks.

Just then a little leaf quite brown
Into the brook came rustling down,
 And sailed off like a ship;
The squirrel gave his tail a whisk,
Then made a funny sideways frisk,
 And left me with a skip.

There's red and yellow, green and pink,
And purple too,—it makes me think
 Of Joseph's little coat;
The wood is in a rainbow drest;
The hills are like a robin's breast,
 Or like my pigeon's throat.

Such pretty colors everywhere!
Such pleasant feelings in the air!
 I'm glad as glad can be.
Here, Rover, come, let's take a run,
And catch a good-night from the sun
 Behind the maple tree.