# Poems That Every Child Should Know

Poems Every Child Should Know
When the shadows are long
POEMS THAT EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW
A SELECTION OF THE BEST POEMS OF ALL TIMES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
EDITED BY
MARY E. BURT
NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS
Copyright, 1904, by Doubleday, Page & Company
All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages, including the Scandinavian
* Acknowledgments
* Preface
* Index of Authors
* CONTENTS
* PART I
* 1.The Arrow and the Song................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3
* Henry W. Longfellow
* 2.The Babie................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4
* Jeremiah Eames Rankin
* 3.Let Dogs Delight to Bark and Bite................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4
* Isaac Watts
* 4.Little Things................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5
* Ebenezer Cobham Brewer
* 5.He Prayeth Best................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5
* Samuel T. Coleridge
* 6.Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
* Anonymous
* 7.Pippa................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
* Robert Browning
* 8.The Days of the Month................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7
* An Old Song
* 9.True Royalty................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7
* Rudyard Kipling
* 10.Playing Robinson Crusoe................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................8
* Rudyard Kipling
* 11.My Shadow................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................9
* Robert Louis Stevenson
* 12.Little White Lily................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10
* George Macdonald
* 13.How the Leaves Came Down................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................12
* Susan Coolidge
* 14.Willie Winkie................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................13
* William Miller
* 15.The Owl and the Pussy-Cat................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................15
* Edward Lear
* 16.Wynken, Blynken, and Nod................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
* Eugene Field
* 17.The Duel................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
* Eugene Field
* 18.The Boy Who Never Told a Lie................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................19
* Anonymous
* 19.Love Between Brothers and Sisters................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................20
* Isaac Watts
* 20.The Bluebell of Scotland................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................20
* Anonymous
* 21.If I Had But Two Little Wings................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................21
* Samuel T. Coleridge
* 22.A Farewell................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................21
* Charles Kingsley
* 23.Casabianca................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
* Felicia Hemans
* 24.The Captain's Daughter................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................23
* James T. Fields
* 25.The Village Blacksmith................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................25
* Henry W. Longfellow
* 26.Sweet and Low................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
* Alfred Tennyson
* 27.The Violet................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
* Jane Taylor
* 28.The Rainbow (a fragment)................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................28
* William Wordsworth
* 29.A Visit From St. Nicholas................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................29
* Clement Clarke Moore
* 30.The Star-Spangled Banner................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31
* Francis Scott Key
* 31.Father William................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................33
* Lewis Carroll
* 32.The Nightingale and the Glow-worm................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................34
* William Cowper
* PART II
* 33.The Frost................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................39
* Hannah Flagg Gould
* 34.The Owl................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................40
* Alfred Tennyson
* 35.Little Billee................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................41
* William Makepeace Thackeray
* 36.The Butterfly and the Bee................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................42
* William Lisle Bowles
* 37.An Incident of the French Camp................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................43
* Robert Browning
* 38.Robert of Lincoln................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................44
* William Cullen Bryant
* 39.Old Grimes................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................47
* Albert Gorton Greene
* 40.Song of Life................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................48
* Charles Mackay
* 41.Fairy Song................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................50
* John Keats
* 42.A Boy's Song................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................50
* James Hogg
* 43.Buttercups and Daisies................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................51
* Mary Howitt
* 44.The Rainbow................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................53
* Thomas Campbell
* 45.Old Ironsides................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................53
* Oliver Wendel Holmes
* 46.Little Orphant Annie................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................54
* James Whitcomb Riley
* 47.O Captain! My Captain!................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................57
* Walt Whitman
* 48.Ingratitude................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................58
* William Shakespeare
* 49.The Ivy Green................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................59
* Charles Dickens
* 50.The Noble Nature................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................60
* Ben Jonson
* 51.The Flying Squirrel................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................60
* Mary E. Burt
* 52.Warren's Address................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................63
* John Pierpont
* 53.The Song in Camp................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................64
* Bayard Taylor
* 54.The Bugle Song................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................66
* Alfred Tennyson
* 55.The Three Bells of Glasgow................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................67
* John G. Whittier
* 56.Sheridan's Ride................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................68
* Thomas Buchanan Read
* 57.The Sandpiper................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................71
* Celia Thaxter
* 58.Lady Clare................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................72
* Alfred Tennyson
* 59.The Lord of Burleigh................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................75
* Alfred Tennyson
* 60.Hiawatha's Childhood................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................79
* Henry W. Longfellow
* 61.I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................82
* William Wordsworth
* 62.John Barleycorn................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................83
* Robert Burns
* 63.A Life on the Ocean Wave................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................85
* Epes Sargent
* 64.The Death of the Old Year................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................86
* Alfred Tennyson
* 65.Abou Ben Adhem................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................89
* Leigh Hunt
* 66.Farm-Yard Song................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................90
* J. T. Trowbridge
* 67.To a Mouse................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................92
* Robert Burns
* 68.To a Mountain Daisy................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................94
* Robert Burns
* 69.Barbara Frietchie................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................96
* John G. Whittier
* PART III
* 70.Lochinvar................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................103
* Sir Walter Scott
* 71.Lord Ullin's Daughter................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................105
* Thomas Campbell
* 72.The Charge of the Light Brigade................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................107
* Alfred Tennyson
* 73.The Tournament................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................110
* Sidney Lanier
* 74.The Wind and the Moon................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................111
* George Macdonald
* 75.Jesus the Carpenter................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................114
* Catherine C. Liddell
* 76.Letty's Globe................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................115
* Charles Tennyson Turner
* 77.A Dream................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................116
* William Blake
* 78.Heaven Is Not Reached at a Single Bound................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................117
* J. G. Holland
* 79.The Battle of Blenheim................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................117
* Robert Southey
* 80.Fidelity................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................120
* William Wordsworth
* 81.The Chambered Nautilus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................122
* Oliver Wendell Holmes
* 82.Crossing the Bar................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................124
* Alfred Tennyson
* 83.The Overland-Mail................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................125
* Rudyard Kipling
* 84.Gathering Song of Donald Dhu................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................126
* Sir Walter Scott
* 85.Marco Bozzaris................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................128
* Fitz-Greene Halleck
* 86.The Death of Napoleon................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................131
* Isaac McClellan
* 87.How Sleep the Brave................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................133
* William Collins
* 88.The Flag Goes By................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................133
* Henry Holcomb Bennett
* 89.Hohenlinden................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................134
* Thomas Campbell
* 90.My Old Kentucky Home................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................136
* Stephen Collins Foster
* 91.Old Folks at Home................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................137
* Stephen Collins Foster
* 92.The Wreck of the Hesperus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................138
* Henry W. Longfellow
* 93.Bannockburn................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................142
* Robert Burns
* PART IV
* 94.The Inchcape Rock................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................145
* Robert Southey
* 95.The Finding of the Lyre................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................148
* James Russell Lowell
* 96.A Chrysalis................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................149
* Mary Emily Bradley
* 97.For a' That................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................151
* Robert Burns
* 98.The New Arrival................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................152
* George W. Cable
* 99.The Brook................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................153
* Alfred Tennyson
* 100.The Ballad of the Clampherdown................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................154
* Rudyard Kipling
* 101.The Destruction of Sennacherib................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................158
* Lord Byron
* 102.I Remember, I Remember................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................159
* Thomas Hood
* 103.Driving Home the Cows................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................160
* Kate Putnam Osgood
* 104.Krinken................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................162
* Eugene Field
* 105.Stevenson's Birthday................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................164
* Katherine Miller
* 106.A Modest Wit................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................165
* Selleck Osborne
* 107.The Legend of Bishop Hatto................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................166
* Robert Southey
* 108.Columbus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................169
* Joaquin Miller
* 109.The Shepherd of King Admetus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................171
* James Russell Lowell
* 110.How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................173
* Robert Browning
* 111.The Burial of Sir John Moore at Corunna................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................176
* C. Wolfe
* 112.The Eve of Waterloo................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................177
* Lord Byron
* 113.Ivry................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................179
* Thomas B. Macaulay
* 114.The Glove and the Lions................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................184
* Leigh Hunt
* 115.The Well of St. Keyne................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................186
* Robert Southey
* 116.The Nautilus and the Ammonite................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................188
* Anonymous
* 117.The Solitude of Alexander Selkirk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................190
* William Cowper
* 118.The Homes of England................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................192
* Felicia Hemans
* 119.Horatius at the Bridge................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................193
* Thomas B. Macaulay
* 120.The Planting of the Apple-Tree................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................211
* William Cullen Bryant
* PART V
* 121.June................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................217
* James Russell Lowell
* 122.A Psalm of Life................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................218
* Henry W. Longfellow
* 123.Barnacles................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................219
* Sidney Lanier
* 124.A Happy Life................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................220
* Sir Henry Wotton
* 125.Home, Sweet Home................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................220
* John Howard Payne
* 126.From Casa Guidi Windows................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................222
* Elizabeth Barrett Browning
* 127.Woodman, Spare That Tree!................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................222
* George Pope Morris
* 128.Abide With Me................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................223
* Henry Francis Lyte
* 129.Lead, Kindly Light................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................224
* John Henry Newman
* 130.The Last Rose of Summer................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................225
* Thomas Moore
* 131.Annie Laurie................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................226
* William Douglas
* 132.The Ship of State................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................227
* Henry W. Longfellow
* 133.America................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................228
* Samuel Francis Smith
* 134.The Landing of the Pilgrims................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................229
* Felicia Hemans
* 135.The Lotos-Eaters................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................231
* Alfred Tennyson
* 136.Moly................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................233
* Edith M. Thomas
* 137.Cupid Drowned................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................234
* Leigh Hunt
* 138.Cupid Stung................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................234
* Thomas Moore
* 139.Cupid and My Campasbe................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................235
* John Lyly
* 140.A Ballad for a Boy................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................236
* Anonymous
* 141.The Skeleton in Armour................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................240
* Henry W. Longfellow
* 142.The Revenge................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................246
* Alfred Tennyson
* 143.Sir Galahad................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................253
* Alfred Tennyson
* 144.A Name in the Sand................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................256
* Hannah Flagg Gould
* PART VI
* 145.The Voice of Spring................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................259
* Felicia Hemans
* 146.The Forsaken Merman................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................260
* Matthew Arnold
* 147.The Banks o' Doon................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................265
* Robert Burns
* 148.The Light of Other Days................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................266
* Thomas Moore
* 149.My Own Shall Come to Me................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................267
* John Burroughs
* 150.Ode to a Skylark................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................268
* Percy Bysshe Shelley
* 151.The Sands of Dee................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................271
* Charles Kingsley
* 152.A Wish................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................272
* Samuel Rogers
* 153.Lucy................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................272
* William Wordsworth
* 154.Solitude................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................273
* Alexander Pope
* 155.John Anderson................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................274
* Robert Burns
* 156.The God of Music................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................275
* Edith M. Thomas
* 157.A Musical Instrument................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................275
* Elizabeth Barrett Browning
* 158.The Brides of Enderby................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................277
* Jean Ingelow
* 159.The Lye................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................283
* Sir Walter Raleigh
* 160.L'Envoi................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................285
* Rudyard Kipling
* 161.Contentment................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................286
* Edward Dyer
* 162.The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................287
* Thomas Moore
* 163.The Old Oaken Bucket................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................288
* Samuel Woodworth
* 164.The Raven................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................289
* Edgar Allan Poe
* 165.Arnold von Winkleried................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................296
* James Montgomery
* 166.Life, I Know Not What Thou Art................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................299
* A. L. Barbauld
* 167.Mercy................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................300
* William Shakespeare
* 168.Polonius' Advice................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................301
* William Shakespeare
* 169.A Fragment from "Julius Cæsar"................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................301
* William Shakespeare
* 170.The Skylark................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................302
* Thomas Hogg
* 171.The Choir Invisible................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................303
* George Eliot
* 172.The World Is Too Much With Us................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................304
* William Wordsworth
* 173.On His Blindness................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................304
* John Milton
* 174.She Was a Phantom of Delight................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................305
* William Wordsworth
* 175.Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................306
* Thomas Gray
* 176.Rabbi Ben Ezra................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................312
* Robert Browning
* 177.Prospice................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................320
* Robert Browning
* 178.Recessional................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................321
* Rudyard Kipling
* 179.Ozymandias of Egypt................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................322
* Percy Bysshe Shelley
* 180.Mortality................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................323
* William Knox
* 181.On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................326
* John Keats
* 182.Hervé Riel................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................326
* Robert Browning
* 183.The Problem................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................333
* Ralph Waldo Emerson
* 184.To America................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................335
* Alfred Austin
* 185.The English Flag................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................337
* Rudyard Kipling
* 186.The Man With the Hoe................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................342
* Edwin Markham
* 187.Song of Myself................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................344
* Walt Whitman
* Index................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................350
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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