No.8

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NIGHT AND DAY (1932)
Cole Porter 1891-1964

Like the beat beat beat of the tom-tom
When the jungle shadows fall,
Like the tick tick tock of the stately clock
As it stands against the wall,
Like the drip drip drip of the raindrops
When the summer shower is through,
So a voice within me keeps repeating you, you, you.

Night and day, you are the one,
Only you beneath the moon and under the sun,
Whether near to me, or far
It's no matter darling where you are,
I think of you, night and day.
Day and night, why is it so
That this longing for you follows wherever I go,
In the roaring traffic's boom,
In the silence of my lonely room
I think of you, night and day.

Night and day, under the hide of me
There's an oh such a hungry yearning burning inside of me,
And its torment won't be through
'Til you let me spend my life making love to you
Day and night, night and day.

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    THERE ARE FAIRIES AT THE BOTTOM OF OUR GARDEN
Rose Fyleman 1877-1957

There are fairies at the bottom of our garden!
It's not so very, very far away;
You pass the gardener's shed and you just keep straight ahead,
I do so hope they've really come to stay.
There's a little wood, with moss in it and beetles,
And a little stream that quietly runs through;
You wouldn't think they'd dare to come merrymaking there -
Well, they do!

There are fairies at the bottom of our garden!
They often have a dance on summer nights;
The butterflies and bees make a lovely little breeze,
And the rabbits stand about and hold the lights.
Did you know that they could sit upon the moonbeams
And pick a little star to make a fan,
And dance away up there in the middle of the air?
Well, they can!

There are fairies at the bottom of our garden!
You cannot think how beautiful they are;
They all stand up and sing when the Fairy Queen and King
Come gently floating down upon their car.
The King is very proud and very handsome;
The Queen -now you can guess who that could be -
She's a little girl all day, but at night she steals away -
Well - it's Me!

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LIFE IS FINE
Langston Hughes 1902-1967

I went down to the river,
I set down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn't,
So I jumped in and sank.

I came up once and hollered!
I came up twice and cried!
If that water hadn't a-been so cold
I might've sunk and died.

But it was Cold in that water! It was cold!

I took the elevator
Sixteen floors above the ground.
I thought about my baby
And thought I would jump down.

I stood there and I hollered!
I stood there and I cried!
If it hadn't a-been so high
I might've jumped and died.

But it was High up there! It was high!

So since I'm still here livin',
I guess I will live on.
I could've died for love -
But for livin' I was born

Though you may hear me holler,
And you may see me cry -
I'll be dogged, sweet baby,
If you gonna see me die.

Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine!

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        SHE DWELT AMONG THE UNTRODDEN WAYS
        William Wordsworth 1770-1850

        She dwelt among the untrodden ways
        Beside the springs of Dove,
        A Maid whom there were none to praise
        And very few to love:
        
        A violet by a mossy stone
        Half hidden from the eye!
        - Fair as a star, when only one
        Is shining in the sky.
        
        She lived unknown, and few could know
        When Lucy ceased to be;
        But she is in her grave, and, oh,
        The difference to me!

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More poems on Monday

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