Maytime Poem by Della Hodgson James

Come laughing children
Come out to play,
The birds are calling
The world is gay.
Wear your gayest of colors
Little sunbonnet maids,
There's an apple blossom party
In the orchard shade.

Come gather some violets
From a shady nook,
Some mountain laurels
By the meadow brook.

The verbenas are on the
Hillside nigh,
The golden buttercups in
Woodlands by.

Abundance of sweet williams
Upturned to the sun,
The gay purpose larkspurs
Can't be out-done.

The bright colored pinks
With their lavish red frocks,
The green fernery fern,
From the cool mossy rock.

Weave now some garlands
To bedeck the day,
Weave thou a crown
For the queen of May.

Weave in gay laughter
And the birds sweet song,
Be merry my children
Soon the May is gone.