First and Second Grade - BCSAschools

First and Second Grade Poetry Selections

1. LONG, LONG AGO 4. MY FRIEND
Winds through the olive trees By Lela Birky
Softly did blow, Before I go to bed at night,
Round little Bethlehem I like to kneel and pray;
Long, long ago. And it is very nice to know
That God hears what I say.
Sheep on the hillside lay
Whiter than snow; I always tell Him, "Thank You, God,
For all Your gifts to me."
Shepherds were watching them,
Long, long ago. I like to tell Him everything,
For He's my Friend, you see.
Then from the happy sky
Angels bent low, I never need to be afraid,
For God is always near;
Singing their songs of joy,
Long, long ago. I always try to please my Friend;
And then I never fear.
For in a manger bed,
Cradled we know, 5. A CHILD'S SONG
I'm thankful for the sunshine bright,
Christ came to Bethlehem For rain and for the stars at night.
Long, long ago. I'm thankful for each flower and tree
And all the beauty that I see.
2. MANNERS
By Florence A. Richardson I'm grateful for our singing birds,
Water and soap will make you sweet; And for my mother's gentle words.
Brush and comb will keep you neat; I'm grateful for kind friends and true;
But "Thank you," "Please," and "Pardon me," Help me to be a good friend, too.
Will make a sweeter child of thee.
6. THE WIND
With clothes that have no spot or rent, By Christina Rossetti
With shoes that shine, be not content, Who has seen the wind?
But polish up your manners, too; Neither I nor you.
Make courtesy a part of you. But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.
3. BEST OF ALL
I love the sweet wildflowers that bloom Who has seen the wind?
Within the woodland way; Neither you nor I.
I love the little birds that sing,
And carol at their play. But when the trees bow down their heads,
I love the brook - the babbling brook, The wind is passing by.
The trees so strong and tall;
But my dear Lord, who loveth me, 7. TIME
I love Him best of all. Sixty seconds in a minute;
How much good can I do in it?
Sixty minutes in an hour;
I AlovllethHeimgoboedsthoaft'saliln. my power.
Twenty hours and four, a day;
Time to work and sleep and play.

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First and Second Grade Poetry Selections

8. MY GIFT 11. THE END
By Christina Rosseni By A.A. Milne
What can I give Him, When I was One,
Poor as I am? I had just begun.
If I were a shepherd,
I would give Him a lamb; When I was two,
If I were a Wise Man. I was nearly new.
I would do my part;
What can I give Him? When I was Three.
I'll give Him my heart. I was hardly Me.

9. THE SECRET When I was Four,
How does the busy squirrel know I was not much more.
The place where nuts and acorns grow?
What makes him pick them from the ground When I was Five,
And hide them where they can't be found? I was just alive.

How does he know on winter days But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever.
Just where his winter storehouse lays? So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.
We know the secret, every whit;
God tells the squirrel all of it. 12. THE JOLLY WOODCHUCK
By Marion Edey and Dorothy Grider
10. OVERHEARD IN AN ORCHARD The woodchuck's very, very fat
By Elizabeth Cheney But doesn't care a pin for that.
Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
"I should really like to know When nights are long and the snow is deep.
Why these anxious human beings Down in his hole he lies asleep.
Rush about and worry so."
Under the earth is a warm little room
Said the Sparrow to the Robin; The drowsy woodchuck calls his home.
"Friend, I think that it must be
Rolls of fat and fur surround him,
That they have no heavenly Father With all his children curled around him,
Such as cares for you and me."
Snout to snout and tail to tail.
11. A MATTER OF TASTE He never awakes in the wildest gale;
By Eve Merriam
What does your tongue like the most? When icicles snap and the north wind blows
Chewy meat or crunchy toast? He snores in his sleep and rubs his nose.
A lumpy bumpy pickle or tickly pop?
A soft marshmallow or a hard lime drop? 14. GRIZZLY BEAR
By Mary Austin
Hot pancakes or a sherbet freeze? If you ever, ever, ever meet a grizzly bear,
Celery noise or quiet cheese? You must never, never, never ask him where
Or do you like pizza He is going,
More than any of these? Or what he is doing;
For if you ever, ever dare
To stop a grizzly bear,
You will never meet another grizzly bear.

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First and Second Grade Poetry Selections

15. MARY HAD A PRETTY BIRD 19. LITTLE TALK
Mother Goose by Aileen Fisher
Mary had a pretty bird. Don't you think it's probable
Feathers bright and yellow, that beetles, bugs, and bees
Slender legs; upon my word, talk about a lot of things-
He was a pretty fellow. you know, such things as these:

The sweetest notes he always sang, The kind of weather where they live
Which much delighted Mary; in jungles tall with grass
and earthquakes in their villages
And near the cage she'd ever sit whenever people pass!
To hear her own canary.
Of course, we'll never know if bugs
16. FRIENDS talk very much at all,
by Dorothy Aldis because our ears are far too big
Children who are friends do not for talk that is so small.
Always see each other;
If it rains or they are bad 20. MOUTHS
They stay home with their mother. by Dorothy Aldis
I wish I had two little mouths
But twice a day and every day, Like my two hands and feet-
No matter what the weather. A little mouth to talk with
Little toothbrushes and teeth And one that just could eat.
HAVE to play together.
Because it seems to me mouths have
17. YOUR PLACE So many things to do-
by John Oxenham All the time they want to talk
Is your place a small place? They are supposed to chew!
Tend it with care!—
He set you there. 21. THE SQUIRREL
Anonymous
Is your place a large place? Whisky, Frisky,
Guard it with care! Hippity hop,
He set you there. Up he goes
To the tree top!
Whate'er your place, it is
Not yours alone, Whirly, twirly,
but His Who set you there. Round and round,
Down he scampers
18. THE PANTHER To the ground.
by Ogden Nash
The panther is like a leopard, Furly, Curly,
Except it hasn't been peppered, What a tail!
Should you behold a panther crouch, Tall as a feather,
Prepare to say OUCH. Broad as a snail!
Better yet, if called by a panther,
Don't anther. Where's his supper?
In the shell,
Snap, cracky,
Out it fell.

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First and Second Grade Poetry Selections

22. THE WORM 25. VELVET FIELD MOUSE
by Ralph Bergengren by Nona Keen Duffy
When the earth is turned to spring Velvet, field mouse, soft and sweet,
The worms are fat as anything. Has four pussywillow feet!
And birds come flying all around
To eat the worms right off the ground. Has a soft and silky coat
They like worms just as much as I And a furry, silver throat
Like bread and milk and apple pie. See him sit on two hind feet
And once, when I was very young, See him hold the food and eat!
I put a worm right on my tongue. He likes seeds of many kinds
I didn't like the taste a bit, Eats the plumpest that he finds.
And so I didn't swallow it. Tiny, timid, velvet mouse
But oh, it makes my Mother squirm Has a haystack for his house.
Because she thinks I ate that worm!
26. FUZZY, WUZZY, CREEPY CRAWLY
23. WINTER COATS by Lillian Schultz Vanada
by Dorothy Aldis Fuzzy, wuzzy, creepy crawly
In October, when they know- Caterpillar funny
That very soon there will be snow You will be a butterfly
When the days are sunny.
Cows and horses, sheep and goats
Start to grow their winter coats. Winging, flinging, dancing, springing
Butterfly so yellow
Each year they grow them, fine and new You were once a caterpillar,
(And fitting very nicely too) Wiggly, wiggly fellow.
But with no button to undo
27. IF ALL THE SEAS WERE ONE SEA
Nor pockets for a handkerchief. Anonymous
And so they have to snort and sniff. If all the seas were one sea,
What a great sea that would be!
24. MR. RABBIT And if all the trees were one tree,
by Dixie Willson What a great tree that would be!
Mr. Rabbit has a habit And if all the axes were one axe,
That is very cute to see. What a great axe that would be!
And if all the men were one man,
He wrinkles up and crinkles up What a great man that would be!
His little nose at me. And if the great man took the great axe,
And cut down the great tree,
I like my little rabbit, And let it fall into the great sea,
And I like his little brother, What a splish splash that would be!

And we have a lot of fun
Making faces at each other!

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First and Second Grade Poetry Selections

28. HOW DOTH THE LITTLE CROCODILE 32. KIND WORDS
by Lewis Carroll by Henry W. Longfellow
How doth the little Kind hearts are the gardens,
crocodile Kind thoughts are the roots,
Improve his shining Kind words are the flowers,
tail, Kind deeds are the fruits.
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale! Take care of the gardens,
And keep them from weeds.
How cheerfully he seems to grin,
How neatly spreads his claws, Fill, fill them with flowers,
Kind words and kind deeds.
And welcomes little fishes in
With gently smiling jaws! 33. WHISTLE
by Dorothy Aldis
30. HOLDING HANDS I want to learn to whistle,
by Lenore M. Link I've always wanted to;
Elephants walking I fix my mouth to do it,
Along the trails but The whistle won't come through.

Are holding hands I think perhaps it's stuck and so
By holding tails. I try it once again;
Can people swallow whistles;
Trunks and tails Where is my whistle then?
Are handy things
34. BUGS
When elephants walk by Dorothy Aldis
In Circus rings. I like bugs.
Black bugs,
Elephants work Green bugs,
And elephants play Bad bugs.
Mean bugs,
And elephants walk Any kind of bug.
And feel so gay. A bug in a rug.
A bug in the grass,
And when they walk- A bug on the sidewalk,
It never fails A bug on the glass,
I like bugs.
They're holding hands
By holding tails. Round bugs,
Shiny bugs,
31. FATHER, WE THANK THEE Fat bugs,
by Ralph Waldo Emerson Buggy bugs,
For flowers that bloom about our feet, Big bugs,
Father, we thank Thee, Lady bugs,
For tender grass so fresh and sweet, I like bugs.
Father, we thank Thee,
For the song of bird and hum of bee,
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

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First and Second Grade Poetry Selections

35. THE ELEPHANT 38. IN THE HEART OF A SEED
Author Unknown Kate Brown
The elephant walks In the heart of a seed,
like this and like that. Buried deep, so deep,
A dear little plant
He’s very tall, Lay fast asleep.
and he’s very fat.
“Wake,” said the sunshine,
He has no fingers, “And creep to the light.”
but he does have toes, “Wake,” said the voice
Of the raindrops bright.
And goodness gracious,
What a nose! The little plant heard;
And it rose to see
36. BOATS SAIL ON THE RIVERS What the wonderful
Christina Rosetti Outside world might be.
Boats sail on the rivers,
And ships sail on the seas; 39. GOD GAVE ME EYES
But clouds that sail across the sky Olive Burt
Are prettier far than these. God gave me eyes
That I might see
There are bridges on the rivers, The wonder of a blossoming tree;
As pretty as you please; My dolly’s face,
But the bow that bridges heaven, My story book,
And overtops the trees, And how the various creatures look.
And builds a road from earth to sky,
Is prettier far then these. God gave me ears
That I might hear
37. INDIAN CHILDREN The laugh of brooklets ringing clear,
Annette Wynne My kitten’s purr,
Where we walk to school each day A violin,
Indian children used to play- And Mother when she calls me in.
All about our native land,
Where the shops and houses stand. God gave a tongue
That I might know
And the trees were very tall, The flavor of all fruits that grow,
And there were no streets at all, The taste of honey
Not a church and not a steeple- From the bee,
Only woods and Indian people. And good things Mother cooks for me.

Only wigwams on the ground, I thank you, God,
And at night bears prowling round- For making me
What a different place today So that I hear and feel and see;
Where we live and work and play! And since these good things
Come from You,
I’ll use them as you want me to.

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First and Second Grade Poetry Selections

40. THE WONDERFUL WORLD 42. A THANK YOU PRAYER
William B. Rands Author Unknown
“Great, wide, beautiful, wonderful world, For milk to drink and food to eat;
With the wonderful water around you curled, For eyes and ears and hands and feet;
And the wonderful grass upon your breast,- Thank You, God.
World, you are beautifully dressed.
For mother, father, and their care;
“The wonderful air is over me, For our house and clothes to wear;
And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree,- Thank You, God.
It walks on the water, and whirls the mills,
And talks to itself on the top of the hills. For friends with whom I run and play;
For sun and rain and night and day;
“You friendly Earth! how far do you go Thank You, God.
With the wheat-fields that nod and the rivers
For all the things you give to me
that flow, Help me to always thankful be.
With cities and gardens, and cliffs, and isles, Thank You, God.
And people upon you for thousands of
43. THE LAMB
miles?” William Blake

41. THE BROWN THRUSH Little lamb, who made thee?
Lucy Larcom Dost thou know who made thee?
There’s a merry brown thrush sitting up in Gave thee life, and bade thee feed
the tree. By the stream and o’er the mead?
“He’s singing to me! He’s singing to me!” Gave thee clothing of delight-
And what does he say, little girl, little boy? Softest clothing, woolly, bright?
“Oh, the world’s running over with joy! Gave thee such a piping voice,
Don’t you hear? Don’t you see? Making all the fields rejoice?
Hush! Look! In my tree,
I’m as happy as happy can be!” Little lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
And the brown thrush keeps singing, “A nest
do you see, Little lamb, I’ll tell thee-
Little lamb, I’ll tell thee.
And five eggs, hid by me in the juniper tree? He is called by thy name,
For He calls Himself a Lamb;
Don’t meddle! Don’t touch, little girl, little boy, He is meek, and He is mild.
He became a little child.
Or the world will lose some of its joy! I a child, and thou a lamb,
Now I’m glad! Now I’m free! We are called by His name.
And I always shall be,
Little lamb, God bless thee!
If you never bring sorrow to me.” Little lamb, God bless thee!

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First and Second Grade Poetry Selections

44. WYNKEN, BLYNKEN, & NOD 45. THE SUGAR-PLUM TREE
Eugene Field Eugene Field
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night Have you ever heard of the Sugar-Plum
Sailed off in a wooden shoe,- Tree?
Sailed on a river of crystal light ‘Tis a marvel of great renown!
Into a sea of dew. It blooms on the shore of the Lollypop Sea
“Where are you going, and what do you In the garden of Shut-Eye Town;
wish?” The fruit that it bears is so wondrously
The old moon asked the three. sweet
“We have come to fish for the herring-fish (As those who have tasted it say)
That live in this beautiful sea; That good little children have only to eat
Nets of silver and gold have we,” Of that fruit to be happy next day.
Said Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.
When you’ve got to the tree, you would
The old moon laughed and sang a song, have a hard time
As they rocked in the wooden shoe;
And the wind that sped them all night long To capture the fruit which I sing;
Ruffled the waves of dew; The tree is so tall that no person could
The little stars were the herring-fish
That lived in the beautiful sea. climb
“Now cast you nets wherever you wish,– To the boughs where the sugar-plums
Never afraid are we!”
So cried the stars to the fishermen three, swing!
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod. But up in that tree sits the chocolate cat,
And a gingerbread dog prowls below-
All night long their nets they threw And this is the way you contrive to get at
To the stars in the twinkling foam,- The sugar-plums tempting you so.
Then down from the skies came the wooden
You say but the word to that gingerbread
shoe, dog
Bringing the fishermen home:
‘Twas all so pretty a sail, it seemed And he barks with such terrible zest
As if it could not be; That the chocolate cat is at once all agog,
And some folk thought ‘twas a dream As her swelling proportions attest.
And the chocolate cat goes cavorting
they’d dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea; around
But I shall name you the fishermen three: From this leafy limb unto that,
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod. And the sugar-plums tumble, of course,

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes, to the ground,
And Nod is a little head, Hurrah for the chocolate cat!
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one’s trundle-bed; There are marshmallows, gumdrops, and
So shut your eyes while Mother sings peppermint canes,
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things With stripings of scarlet or gold,
As you rock in the misty sea And you carry away of the treasure that
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen
rains
three:- As much as your apron can hold!
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod. So come, little child, cuddle closer to me
In your dainty white nightcap and gown,
And I’ll rock you away to that Sugar-Plum

Tree
In the garden of Shut-Eye Town.

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First and Second Grade Poetry Selections

46. THE LAMPLIGHTER 47. THE LAND OF STORY-BOOKS
Robert L. Stevenson Robert L. Stevenson
My tea is nearly ready and the sun has left At evening when the lamp is lit,
the sky. Around the fire my parents sit;
It’s time to take the window to see Leerie They sit at home, and talk and sing,
going by; And do not play at anything.
For every night at tea-time and before you
take your seat, Now, with my little gun, I crawl
With lantern and with ladder he comes All in the dark along the wall,
posting up the street. And follow round the forest track
Away behind the sofa back.
Now Tom would be a driver and Maria go to
sea, There in the night, where none can spy,
All in my hunter’s camp I lie,
And my papa’s a banker and as rich as he And play at books that I have read,
can be; Till it is time to go to bed.

But I, when I am stronger and can choose These are the hills, these are the woods,
what I’m to do, These are my starry solitudes;
And there the river by whose brink
O Leerie, I’ll go ‘round at night and light the The roaring lions come to drink.
lamps with you!
I see the others far away,
For we are very lucky, with a lamp before As if in firelit camp they lay,
the door, And I, like to an Indian scout,
Around their party prowled about.
And Leerie stops to light it as he lights so
many more; So, when my nurse comes in for me,
Home I return across the sea,
And oh! before you hurry by with ladder and And go to bed with backward looks
with light, At my dear land of Story-Books.

O Leerie, see a little child and nod to him
tonight!

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