1 138 Rural School Leaflet 



bluebird 

 The world rolls round — mistrust it not, 



Befalls again what once befell ; 

 All things return, both sphere and mote, 



And I shall hear my bluebird's note, 

 And dream the dream of Auburn dell. 



From May Day 



by RALPH WALDO EMERSON 

 BARN SWALLOW 



At play in April skies that spread 

 Their azure depths above my head 

 As onward to the woods I sped, 



I heard the swallows twitter; 

 O skater in the fields of air 

 On steely wings that sweep and dare. 

 To gain these scenes thy only care. 



Nor fear the winds are bitter. 



From The Swallow 



by JOHN BURROUGHS 

 WOOD PEWEE 



Only a little forest brook 



The farthest hem of silence shook: 



When in the hollow shades I heard, — 



Was it a spirit, or a bird? 



Or, strayed from Eden, desolate, 



Some Peri calling to her mate, 



Whom nevermore her mate would cheer? 



" Pe-ri! pe-ri! peer!'' 



From The Pewee 



by JOHN T. TROWBRIDGE 

 ORIOLE 



How falls it, oriole, thou hast come to fly 

 In tropic splendor through our Northern sky? 

 At some glad moment was it nature's choice 

 To dower a scrap of sunset with a voice? 



From To an Oriole 



by EDGAR FAWCETT 

 HAWK 



On outspread wings a hawk, far poised on high. 



Quick swooping screams, and then is heard no more : 

 The strident shrilling of a locust nigh 



Breaks forth, and dies in silence as before. 



From Summer Drought 



by J. p. IRVINE 



