Be True is a poem by Scottish poet Horatius Bonar (1808 – 1889). These are words to live by… MP3 of Be True Be True Thou must be true thyself, If thou the truth wouldst teach; Thy soul must overflow, if thou Another’s soul would’st reach! ...

Mosquitoes are on my mind since I was bitten by one today!  So I thought it would be fitting to post a poem about a mosquito… Here’s A Mosquito Triolet by Aristine Anderson. A Triolet is an 8 line poem with a rhyme scheme of ABaAabAB.  The poem’s 1st, 4th and 7th lines are identical, as...

The poem May Day by American poet Sara Teasdale (1884 – 1933) has lovely imagery.  Though it seems to end on a melancholy note, you can think of it in light of appreciating the time on earth we have… MP3 of May Day May Day A delicate fabric of bird song ...

Here’s the poem Joys of Youth by English poet John Clare (1793 – 1864). MP3 of Joys of Youth Joys of Youth How pleasing simplest recollections seem Now summer comes it warms me to look back In the sweet happiness of youths...

Where the Bee Sucks is from Shakespeare’s play The Tempest.  In the play, it’s sung by the fairy spirit Ariel.  You can read this lovely song below and listen along to two different renditions of it – one recited, the other sung. Where The Bee Sucks (Shakespeare) Where the bee sucks, there suck I: In a cowslip’s bell...

MP3 of The Dandelion The Dandelion by Mrs. E. P. Erskine "Oh, dandelion, yellow as gold, What do you do all day?" "I just wait here in the long green grass Till the children come to play." "Oh, dandelion, yellow as...

The poem The Sandman was written by 19th century poet Margaret Vandergrift.  It’s about the mythological figure who throws sand in children’s eyes to put them to sleep at night.  Below you can hear the poem recited and read along…. MP3 Recording of The Sandman   The Sandman By Margaret Vandergrift   The rosy...

The poem Loveliest of trees, the cherry now by A. E. Housman (1859–1936) was written in 1896.  To understand the poem, remember that at that time people referred to the number 20 as "score".  Threescore meant 60.  In the 2nd verse, when the author wrote, "of my threescore years and ten", he meant he’s expecting...

Here’s the poem called Spring by Dante Gabriel Rossetti with an MP3 recording. MP3 Recording of Spring by Rossetti Spring Soft-littered is the new-year’s lambing fold, And in the hollowed haystack at its side The shepherd lies o’ night now, wakeful-eyed ...

Here’s the poem Early Spring by Fay Inchfawn with an mp3 recording… MP3 Recording of Early Spring Early Spring Quick through the gates of Fairyland The South Wind forced his way. ‘Twas his to make the Earth forget Her grief of yesterday. "’Tis mine," cried he, "to bring her joy!"...

Jeremy Shatan wrote from New York: "It’s the vernal equinox, the first day of spring. Around this time of the year, my mom would always say: ‘Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, the boid is on the wing.’ Yes, just like that." This saying is all in "New Yorkese", a New York accent.  It...

This poem comes from the German book Der Struwwelpeter oder lustige Geschichten und drollige Bilder by Heinrich Hoffman. It was first published in German in 1844.  It’s a collection of 10 poems that are cautionary tales. An English version was translated and published 4 years later, in 1848, called, "Struwwelpeter: Merry Tales and Funny Pictures"....

Here’s the poem "Windy Nights" by Robert Louis Stevenson with a recording and illustrations… MP3 Recording of Windy Nights Windy Nights By Robert Louis Stevenson Whenever the moon and stars are set, Whenever the wind is high, All night long in the dark and wet,  A man...

Here’s a Chinese poem about early winter by Meng Haoran 孟浩然, a Chinese poet who lived from 689 or 691 to 740.  First you’ll find the simplified Chinese text, followed by an English translation.  Then you can listen to a recording of the poem in Mandarin and follow along with the Pinyin (pronunciation).   After that...

Over the millennia, mistletoe has been a symbol of romance and fertility. Since the 18th century or earlier, it’s been used as a Christmas decoration, hung from above… and if a man and a woman should happen to find each other together under the mistletoe, they have to kiss! Here you can read a poem by Walter...

Here’s the poem A Baby Running Barefoot by D.H. Lawrence with an mp3 recording… MP3 Recording of A Baby Running Barefoot A Baby Running Barefoot By DH Lawrence When the bare feet of the baby beat across the grass The...

The Pumpkin was written by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807 – 1892).  Here’s an excerpt – the part about Thanksgiving and pumpkin pie… Ah! on Thanksgiving day, when from East and from West, From North and from South comes the pilgrim and guest; When the gray-haired...

Here’s the French poem Papillons roux (Russet Butterflies) by Louis Codet (1876-1914).  It’s about two little butterflies in Autumn. Below you’ll find the French poem with a recording followed by an English translation. MP3 of Papillons roux Papillons roux  Deux petits papillons roux tourbillonnent, tourbillonnent Deux petits...

Here’s the poem October by Florence Earle Coates (1850 – 1927) with an mp3 recording… MP3 of the Poem October SWEET are the woodland notes That gush melodious at morn from palpitating throats, In anthems fresh as dew! Ay, they are sweet! But...

Amanecer de otoño (Autumn Dawn) is a Spanish poem written by Antonio Machado (1875 – 1939).  Here you’ll find the original text with an mp3 recording followed by an English translation… MP3 of Amanecer de otono Amanecer de otoño Una larga carretera entre grises peñascales, y alguna...