Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry. 1904.
VI. Animate NatureThe First Blue-Bird
James Whitcomb Riley (18491916)J
And dribble! drip! and blow!
Then snow! and thaw! and slush! and then—
Some more rain and snow!
To wake up—when, I jing!
I seen the sun shine out and heerd
The first blue-bird of Spring!—
Mother she ’d raised the winder some;—
And in acrost the orchard come,
Soft as an angel’s wing,
A breezy, treesy, beesy hum,
Too sweet for any thing!
The sun bust forth in glee,—
And when that blue-bird sung, my hart
Hopped out o’ bed with me!