The Book Of Joyous Children

Bound and bordered in leaf-green,         Edged with trellised buds and flowers      And glad Summer-gold, with clean          White and purple morning-glories          Such as suit the songs and stories         Of this book of ours,      Unrevised in text or scene, -             The Book of Joyous Children.      Wild and breathless in their glee -         Lawless rangers of all ways      Winding through lush greenery          Of Elysian vales - the viny,          Bowery groves of shady, shiny         Haunts of childish days.      Spread and read again with me             The Book of Joyous Children.      What a whir of wings, and what         Sudden drench of dews upon      The young brows, wreathed, all unsought,          With the apple-blossom garlands          Of the poets of those far lands         Whence all dreams are drawn      Set herein and soiling not             The Book of Joyous Children.      In their blithe companionship         Taste again, these pages through,      The hot honey on your lip          Of the sun-smit wild strawberry,          Or the chill tart of the cherry;         Kneel, all glowing, to      The cool spring, and with it sip             The Book of Joyous Children.      As their laughter needs no rule,         So accept their language, pray. -      Touch it not with any tool:          Surely we may understand it, -          As the heart has parsed or scanned it         Is a worthy way,      Though found not in any School             The Book of Joyous Children.      Be a truant - know no place         Of prison under heaven's rim!      Front the Father's smiling face -          Smiling, that you smile the brighter          For the heavy hearts made lighter,         Since you smile with Him.      Take - and thank Him for His grace -             The Book of Joyous Children.