|
GRADED POETRY
GRADED POETRY VARIOUS Produced by Juliet Sutherland Amy Overmyer and PG Distributed Proofreaders
GRADED POETRY
SEVENTH YEAR
Edited By:
Katherine D. Blake
Principal Girls' Department Public School No. 6 New York City
and
Georgia Alexander
Supervising Principal Indianapolis Indiana
1906
INTRODUCTION
Poetry is the chosen language of childhood and youth. The baby
repeats words again and again for the mere joy of their sound:
the melody of nursery rhymes gives a delight which is quite
independent of the meaning of the words. Not until youth approaches
maturity is there an equal pleasure in the rounded periods of
elegant prose. It is in childhood therefore that the young mind
should be stored with poems whose rhythm will be a present delight
and whose beautiful thoughts will not lose their charm in later
years.
The selections for the lowest grades are addressed primarily to
the feeling for verbal beauty the recognition of which in the
mind of the child is fundamental to the plan of this work. The
editors have felt that the inclusion of critical notes in these
little books intended for elementary school children would be not
only superfluous but in the degree in which critical comment
drew the child's attention from the text subversive of the desired
result. Nor are there any notes on methods. The best way to teach
children to love a poem is to read it inspiringly to them.
The French say: "The ear is the pathway to the heart." A poem
should be so read that it will sing itself in the hearts of the
listening children.
In the brief biographies appended to the later books the human
element has been brought out. An effort has been made to call
attention to the education of the poet and his equipment for his
life work rather than to the literary qualities of his style.
* * * * *
CONTENTS
FIRST HALF YEAR
Good Name _William Shakespeare_
From "Love's Labor's Lost". _William Shakespeare_
From "Richard II" Act II Sc. I _William Shakespeare_
Jog on Jog on _William Shakespeare_
The Downfall of Wolsey _William Shakespeare_
The Noble Nature _Ben Johnson_
Song on a May Morning _John Milton_
O God our Help in Ages Past. _Isaac Watts_
The Diverting History of John Gilpin _William Cowper_
Bannockburn _Robert Burns_
My Heart's in the Highlands _Robert Burns_
The Solitary Reaper _William Wordsworth_
Sonnet _William Wordsworth_
"Soldier Rest!" _Walter Scott_
Lochinvar _Walter Scott_
The Star-Spangled Banner _Francis Scott Key_
Hohenlinden _Thomas Campbell_
The Harp that Once through Tara's Halls _Thomas Moore_
Childe Harold's Farewell to England _George Noel Gordon
Lord Byron_
The Night before Waterloo _George Noel Gordon
Lord Byron_
Abide with Me _Henry Francis Lyte_
Horatius at the Bridge _Thomas B. Macauley_
SECOND HALF YEAR
Early Spring _Alfred Lord Tennyson_
Sir Galahad _Alfred Lord Tennyson_
The Charge of the Light Brigade _Alfred Lord Tennyson_
Ring out Wild Bells.
From "In Memoriam" _Alfred Lord Tennyson_
A Christmas Hymn _Alfred Domett_
Home Thoughts from Abroad _Robert Browning_
Pheidippides _Robert Browning_
A Song of Clover _Saxe Holm_
Song of Love _Lewis Carroll_
Scythe Song _Andrew Lang_
White Butterflies _Algernon Charles Swinburne_
Recessional. A Victorian Ode _Rudyard Kipling_
To a Waterfowl _William Cullen Bryant_
The Death of the Flowers _William Cullen Bryant_
Thanatopsis _William Cullen Bryant_
From "Woodnotes" _Ralph Waldo Emerson_
Daybreak _Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow_
The Fiftieth Birthday of Agassiz _Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow_
Hymn to the Night _Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow_
Longing _James Russell Lowell_
The Finding of the Lyre _James Russell Lowell_
Waiting _John Burroughs_
Columbus _Joaquin Miller_
Evening Songs _John Vance Cheney_
A Vagabond Song _Bliss Carman_
Old Glory _James Whitcomb Riley_
Kavanagh _Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow_
Biographical Sketches of Authors
* * * * *
SEVENTH YEAR--FIRST HALF
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
ENGLAND 1564-1616
Good name in man and woman dear my lord
Is the immediate jewel of their souls:
Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something nothing;
'Twas mine 'tis his and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed.
--"OTHELLO" Act II Sc. 3.
* * * * *
When daisies pied and violets blue
And lady-smocks all silver-white
And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue
Do paint the meadows with delight.
--"LOVE'S LABOR'S LOST" Act V Sc. 2.
* * * * *
This royal throne of kings this scepter'd isle
This earth of majesty this seat of Mars
This other Eden demi-paradise;
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war;
This happy breed of men this little world
This precious stone set in the silver sea
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house
Against the envy of less happier lands;
This blessed plot this earth this realm this England.
--"RICHARD II" Act II Sc. 1.
* * * * *
Jog on jog on the foot-path way
And merrily hent the stile-a:
A merry heart goes all the day
Your sad tires in a mile-a.
--From "WINTER'S TALE."
* * * * *
The Downfall of Wolsey
Farewell! a long farewell to all my greatness!
This is the state of man: to-day he puts forth
The tender leaves of hopes; to-morrow blossoms
And bears his blushing honors thick upon him;
The third day comes a frost a killing frost;
And when he thinks good easy man full surely
His greatness is a ripening nips his root
And then he falls as I do. I have ventured
Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders
This many summers in a sea of glory
But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride
At length broke under me; and now has left me
Weary and old with service to the mercy
Of a rude stream that must forever hide me.
Vain pomp and glory of this world I hate ye:
I feel my heart new opened. O how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors!
There is betwixt that smile we would aspire to
That sweet aspect of princes and their ruin
More pangs and fears than wars or women have:
And when he falls he falls like Lucifer
Never to hope again.
--From "HENRY VIII."
* * * * *
BEN JONSON
ENGLAND 1574-1637
THE NOBLE NATURE
It is not growing like a tree
In bulk doth make man better be;
Or standing long an oak three hundred year
To fall a log at last dry bald and sere;
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May
Although it fall and die that night--
It was the plant and flower of Light.
In small proportions we just beauties see
And in short measures life may perfect be.
* * * * *
JOHN MILTON
ENGLAND 1608-1674
SONG ON A MAY MORNING
Now the bright morning star day's harbinger
Comes dancing from the east and leads with her
The flowery May who from her green lap throws
The yellow cowslip and the pale primrose.
Hail bounteous May that dost inspire
Mirth and youth and warm desire!
Woods and groves are of thy dressing
Hill and dale doth boast thy blessing.
Thus we salute thee with our early song
And welcome thee and wish thee long.
* * * * *
ISAAC WATTS
ENGLAND 1674-1748
O God our help in ages past
Our hope for years to come
Our shelter from the stormy blast
And our eternal home:
Before the hills in order stood
Or earth received her frame
From everlasting Thou art God
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
Time like an ever-rolling stream
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
O God our help in ages past
Our hope for years to come
Be Thou our guard while troubles last
And our eternal home.
* * * * *
WILLIAM COWPER
ENGLAND 1731-1800
THE DIVERTING HISTORY OF JOHN GILPIN
John Gilpin was a citizen
Of credit and renown
A trainband captain eke was he
Of famous London town.
John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear
'Though wedded we have been
These twice ten tedious years yet we
No holiday have seen.
"To-morrow is our wedding day
And we will then repair
Unto the Bell at Edmonton
All in a chaise and pair.
"My sister and my sister's child
Myself and children three
Will fill the chaise; so you must ride
On horseback after we."
He soon replied "I do admire
Of womankind but one
And you are she my dearest dear
Therefore it shall be done.
"I am a linendraper bold
As all the world doth know
And my good friend the calender
Will lend his horse to go."
Quoth Mrs. Gilpin "That's well said;
And for that wine is dear
We will be furnished with our own
Which is both bright and clear."
John Gilpin kiss'd his loving wife;
O'erjoyed was he to find
That though on pleasure she was bent
She had a frugal mind.
The morning came the chaise was brought
But yet was not allow'd
To drive up to the door lest all
Should say that she was proud.
So three doors off the chaise was stay'd
Where they did all get in;
Six precious souls and all agog
To dash through thick and thin.
Smack went the whip round went the wheels
Were never folks so glad
The stones did rattle underneath
As if Cheapside were mad.
John Gilpin at his horse's side
Seized fast the flowing mane
And up he got in haste to ride
But soon came down again;
For saddletree scarce reach'd had he
His journey to begin
When turning round his head he saw
Three customers come in.
So down he came; for loss of time
Although it grieved him sore
Yet loss of pence full well he knew
Would trouble him much more.
'Twas long before the customers
Were suited to their mind
When Betty screaming came downstairs
"The wine is left behind!"
"Good lack!" quoth he--"yet bring it me
My leathern belt likewise
In which I bear my trusty sword
When I do exercise."
Now Mistress Gilpin (careful soul!)
Had two stone bottles found
To hold the liquor that she loved
And keep it safe and sound.
Then over all that he might be
Equipp'd from top to toe
His long red cloak well brush'd and neat
He manfully did throw.
Now see him mounted once again
Upon his nimble steed
Full slowly pacing o'er the stones
With caution and good heed.
But finding soon a smoother road
Beneath his well-shod feet
The snorting beast began to trot
Which gall'd him in his seat.
"So fair and softly" John he cried
But John he cried in vain;
That trot became a gallop soon
In spite of curb and rein.
So stooping down as needs he must
Who cannot sit upright
He grasp'd the mane with both his hands
And eke with all his might.
His horse who never in that sort
Had handled been before
What thing upon his back had got
Did wonder more and more.
Away went Gilpin neck or nought;
Away went hat and wig;
He little dreamt when he set out
Of running such a rig.
The wind did blow the cloak did fly
Like streamer long and gay
Till loop and button failing both
At last it flew away.
Then might all people well discern
The bottles he had slung;
A bottle swinging at each side
As hath been said or sung.
The dogs did bark the children scream'd
Up flew the windows all;
And every soul cried out "Well done!"
As loud as he could bawl.
Away went Gilpin--who but he?
His fame soon spread around
"He carries weight! he rides a race!
'Tis for a thousand pound!"
And still as fast as he drew near
'Twas wonderful to view
How in a trice the turnpike men
Their gates wide open threw.
And now as he went bowing down
His reeking head full low
The bottles twain behind his back
Were shatter'd at a blow.
Down ran the wine into the road
Most piteous to be seen
Which made his horse's flanks to smoke
As they had basted been.
But still he seem'd to carry weight
With leathern girdle braced;
For all might see the bottle necks
Still dangling at his waist.
Thus all through merry Islington
These gambols did he play
Until he came unto the Wash
Of Edmonton so gay;
...
|
