Here’s the French poem Le Thé (Tea) by Théodore de Banville with an mp3 recording.  After the poem you’ll find an English translation. MP3 of Le Thé Le Thé Miss Ellen, versez-moi le Thé Dans la belle tasse chinoise, Où des poissons d’or cherchent noise ...

Here’s a lovely poem about The Wind by Robert Louis Stevenson with a couple of mp3 renditions. MP3 of The Wind 2nd MP3 of The Wind The Wind   I saw you toss the kites on high And blow the birds about the sky; And all around I heard you pass, Like ladies’ skirts across the grass– O wind, a-blowing all day long, O wind,...

Here’s a little poem about clouds by Christina Rossetti. MP3 of the Poem "Clouds" Clouds by Christina Rossetti White sheep, white sheep, On a blue hill, When the wind stops You all stand still When the wind blows You walk...

Jeff Gilpin sent this lullaby with the following note, "Here is a song I wrote after visiting my wife’s sister in Ayase which is outside of Tokyo, Japan. I think it is very kid friendly and I hope you like it add it to your list of children songs. It is called Ayase Lullaby. Here...

MP3 of Hope is the thing with feathers "Hope" is the thing with feathers By Emily Dickinson "Hope" is the thing with feathers- That perches in the soul- And sings the tune without the words- And never stops-at all- And sweetest-in the Gale-is heard- ...

The song "Pussy Willows" used to be taught in schools.  Some people have written to me about it because their grandparents sang it to them as kids.  It’s a sweet little song!  Here are the lyrics to Pussy Willows, with a musical score and midi tune… Midi Tune of Pussy Willows Pussy Willows Pretty pussies down by the...

MP3 of the Poem Old Winter Old Winter By Thomas Noel Old Winter sad and snowy clad, Is making a doleful din; But let him howl till he cracks his jowl, We will not let him in.   Let him gnaw, forsooth, with his freezing tooth, On our roof-tiles, till he...

Here’s a colorful poem by Emily Dickinson with an mp3 recording… MP3 of She sweeps with many-colored Brooms She sweeps with many-colored Brooms   She sweeps with many-colored Brooms– And leaves the Shreds behind– Oh Housewife in the Evening West– Come back, and dust the Pond! You dropped a Purple Ravelling in– You dropped an Amber thread– And now...

Song of The Leprechaun or Fairy Shoemaker was written by Irish poet William Allingham (1824 – 1889).  Leprechauns are known to be shoemakers.  At the end of the work day, they hide away the money they earned in a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Song of The Leprechaun or Fairy Shoemaker is...

MP3 of Love Is Enough Love Is Enough By William Morris Love is enough: though the World be a-waning, And the woods have no voice but the voice of complaining, Though the sky be too dark for dim eyes to discover The gold-cups and daisies fair...

Here’s the poem, Poet To His Love by Maxwell Bodenheim (1892-1954) with an mp3 recording… MP3 of Poet to His Love 2nd Recording of Poet to His Love Poet to His Love An old silver church in a forest Is my love for you. The trees around it ...

Sometimes, life is grand because of that one perfect moment, like in the poem below… MP3 of Jenny kiss’d Me Jenny kiss’d Me By Leigh Hunt Jenny kiss’d me when we met, Jumping from the chair she sat in; Time, you...

Snow is in the air!  Here’s a poem called, "Snow in the Suburbs" by Thomas Hardy with an mp3 recording.   Enjoy! Mama Lisa MP3 of Snow in the Suburbs Snow in the Suburbs Every branch big with it, Bent every twig with it; Every fork like a white web-foot; Every...

Here’s a fun little skunk joke with a recording… MP3 of Two Little Skunks Two Little Skunks There were two little skunks Named "In" and "Out." One day In was out And Out was in. The mother skunk asked ...

A Johnny-cake is a small flat cake (akin to a little pancake) made out of cornmeal, water and salt. They were widely eaten in the U.S. in the 19th century.  Johnny-cakes are called hoecakes in the South. The folk tale "Johnny-cake" is almost the same story as "The Gingerbread Man" except that a Johnny-cake is the...

How the Finch Got Her Colors is a Flemish legend. Below you can listen to it in English and read along with the tale… MP3 of How The Finch Got Her Colors How The Finch Got Her Colors A Flemish Legend There was once a time when all the birds were gray and...

The poem, Perseverance or Try Again by William Hickson appeared as a song in his book "The Singing Master" in 1836.  It’s believed he coined the proverb "If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again": ‘Tis a lesson you should heed– Try, try, try again; ...

Wandrers Nachtlied is the title of two different poems written by German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  The 2nd poem was written in 1780.  This is the one we’re featuring here.  It’s considered by many to be the most beautiful poem in the German language. Here you can read the original poem and listen to...

MP3 of Twinkling Bugs  (Recording of 1st & 3rd Verses) Twinkling Bugs When the sun sinks under the world’s red rim, And the river fades till its shores are dim. And the trees are dark where the shadows lie,   Then they go by, ...

Here’s the poem, An Explanation Of The Grasshopper by American poet, Vachell Lindsay (1879 – 1931). You can listen to an mp3 recording of it below.  Note that a Brownie is an elf who secretly helps with chores in the middle of the night. I need one of those. MP3 of An Explanation of the Grasshopper The...