Classic Poem

When the nights have lengthened,
And the days have shorter grown;
When the birds have flown southward
To a milder, warmer zone;

When the nights and mornings have
Grown frosty, sharp and cold;
When leaves have changed their color
From green to red and gold;

When apple trees are burdened
With delicious apples bright;
When the creseent harvest moon
Shines all through the night,

Then to hunt and gather nuts,
What fun and what delight!
And store them away to eat
By winter fires bright.

Hickory nuts and walnuts,
Hazelnuts and chestnuts brown;
Butternuts and chinquapins,
Listen at 'em patter down!

Now and then a squirrel
Who thinks perhaps he isn't seen,
Frisks quickly o'er the ground,
With quiet, cautious mien.

Quickly but quietly he gets
His nuts in innocence;
Then goes a-frisking up the hill,
Far by the old rail fence.

‘As if to say, with impudence:
“If you can, catch me!”
Then disappears among the trees,
In triumph and in glee.