Mama Lisa's World
International Music & Culture
A place for poems, songs, rhymes and traditions from around the world for both kids and grown-ups to enjoy!
Hungarian Kids Songs & Rhymes
A Mama Lisa Book...
50 Hungarian children's songs and rhymes, with translations and commentary. Available in PDF format for just $2.99! More...
Articles about 'Spring'
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Today, April 25th, is Saint Mark’s Day.  The end of April and the beginning of May is thought to be colder than the time around it.  Due to 4 Saints Days that take place at this time, including St. Mark’s, this period is called The Four Horsemen of the Cold in France… the four horsemen...
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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 ...
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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!"...
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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...
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Yay!  The Spring is here!  Check out Lila and Sarina’s chalk art… Girl and Puppy Cats Puppies Dogs Rule!
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It’s cherry blossom season. Here’s a poem called "Loveliest of Trees" by A. E. Housman (1859 – 1936).  The poem is about cherry blossoms, the quickness of life, and how now is the time to appreciate what’s around you. "Loveliest of Trees" LOVELIEST of trees, the cherry now Is hung with bloom...
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Monique Palomares, who works with me on the French version of Mama Lisa’s World, wrote the following post about Carnival in Occitania, a region of southern France. Monique speaks Occitan, the language of the troubadours, and has shared many songs in Occitan on Mama Lisa’s World. Carnival in Southern France Carnival in Southern France Carnival celebrates...
Angela Sterling from Lingotot wrote: Found a really cute little French song, perfect for springtime! Les oiseaux tiroulirouli Les oiseaux tiroulirouli Les oiseaux font leurs nids dans les branches Les poissons (pop, pop, pop) Les poissons (pop, pop, pop) Les poissons nagent au fond de l’eau oh, oh oh Here’s an English translation I came up with to loosely fit the tune (that...
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We don’t have many buds on our trees here in New York yet.  It’s just rain, rain, rain.  So I found these photos from Japan by Ayako Egawa particularly uplifting this week.  Japanese apricot flowers, Ume. Crocuses Ayako wrote, “Mimosa is in full bloom around here.” Ayako wrote, “I totally agree that these little flowers are...
Monique Palomares works with me on the French and Spanish versions of Mama Lisa’s World. She sent me some proverbs about March from different European countries in response to a post I did about Italian Proverbs about March. Here’s what Monique wrote… Here are some proverbs in Occitan, Catalan, French, Spanish, Portuguese and...
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Joanne L. Ladd shared her feelings about Daylight Savings Time: On Sunday March 14 we will go into Daylight Saving Time… the second Sunday of March we will set our clocks ahead 1 hour (spring forward) we will go from EST...
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Yesterday, I was talking with a lady, whose parents are from Italy, about how happy I am that it’s finally March. She said, “Why?” I said because February is finally over. She said, “Marzo è pazzo”. It’s an Italian saying meaning “March is crazy”… you can never depend on March...
Rebeca Garcia Mendoza wrote Hi! I’m a Spanish girl who is preparing resources to teach English to Spanish children. I’m looking for rhymes about seasons and I have a problem. I cannot find a short one of Spring. If anybody knows one, please, tell me! Thanks. If anyone can help out Rebeca, please let us know in the...
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When the Cherry Blossoms bloom in Japan it’s traditional to go to the park to view the blossoms and have a picnic.  Cherry Blossom viewing is called called Hanami. Ayako Egawa generously shared her photos of this years cherry blossom viewing.  Ayako wrote, "We walked under the flow of cherry blossoms in the park.  It...
Here’s an old poem about April by William Watson (1858 – 1936), an English poet… Song APRIL, April, Laugh thy girlish laughter; Then, the moment after, Weep thy girlish tears! April, that mine ears Like a lover greetest, If I tell thee, sweetest, All my hopes and fears, April, April, Laugh thy golden laughter, But, the moment after, Weep thy golden tears!
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It’s amazing that people over 5000 years ago knew enough about astronomy and the seasons to create a cave and have specific chambers within it be lit up by the sun only on specific days of the year… specifically on the solstices and equinoxes. I’m talking about the Loughcrew Megalithic Cairns in Ireland.   Michael from Newgrange.com...
People often write me looking for songs about the four seasons, from around the world. Here are some! The links below take you to the different pages on Mama Lisa’s World of International Childrens Songs. There, you’ll find the lyrics in the original languages, with English translations. Songs about Winter Yuki (Snow) – Japanese A,...
Guest blogger Ed Gawlinski sent me this short post about celebrations in May… On May 5th a lot of people in the United States are going to have tacos or burritos for lunch to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. On May 5th of 1862 Troops led by Ignacio Zaragoza halted a French invasion of Mexico in...
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As Easter approaches, it’s natural to think a little about eggs! In days gone by the egg, due to its shape, was a symbol of the earth. Thanks to its obvious association with the beginning of life, it has also been the basis of many ancient creation stories. It has been a symbol...
Here’s a nice Peruvian children’s song about the Spring in Spanish followed by an English translation… La primavera La primavera Cantan, cantan por los campos, Primavera llega ya. Por los campos viene riendo jaja Riendo jajajaja Primavera Los campos florecen Las aves aparecen Sale el sol Todo es amor Llegó la primavera Vestida de flores Y yo quisiera Vestirme de mil colores. Springtime Springtime They sing, sing in the fields, Spring arrives at last! In...
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