THE BIRDS PICNIC. 



The birds gave a picnic, the morning was fine, 

 They all came in couples to chat and to dine; 



Miss Robin, Miss Wren, and the two Misses Jay, 

 Were dressed in a manner decidedly gay. 



And Bluebird, who looks like a handful of sky. 



Dropped in with his spouse as the morning wore by; 



The Yellowbirds, too, wee bundles of sun. 



With the brave Chickadees came along to the fun. 



Miss Phoebe was there, in her prim suit of brown, 

 In fact all the birds in the fair leafy town. 



The neighbors, of course, were politely invited. 

 Not even the Ants and Crickets were slighted. 



The Grasshoppers came, some in gray, some in green, 

 And covered with dust, hardly fit to be seen. 



Miss Miller flew in with her gown white as milk, 

 And Ladybug flourished a new crimson silk. 



The bees turned out lively, the young and the old. 

 And proud as could be, in their spencers of gold, 



But Miss Caterpillar, how funny of her, 



She hurried along in her mantle of fur. 



There were big bugs in plenty, and gnats great and small, 

 A very hard matter to mention them all. 



And what did they do? Why they sported and sang 

 Till all the green woods with their melody rang. 



Who e'er gave a picnic so grand and so gay? 



They hadn't a shower, I'm happy to say; 

 And when the sun fell, like a cherry ripe red. 



The Fireflies lighted them all home to bed. 



"Home Songs' 



