The Song Fairy

There once was a fairy

with wild grass in her hair

who ran round the woods

(not letting anyone catch her)

in April, to teach

the birds their songs.

When jays and linnets

sang wrong notes

in their melodies,

the fairy, without fail,

would severely rebuke

these naughty pupils.

Her little bare hand

would pluck in the copses

a blade of thin grass,

and encourage the zeal

of these slow learners

by whipping their wings.

One autumn morning

she came and was shocked

to see the woods deserted;

her disloyal friends

along with the swallows

had taken to the air.

All winter the fairy

with dead grass in her hair,

counting off the minutes

in the vast forests,

keeps composing new songs

for the coming spring!