Classic Poem

In the Orchard-Days, when you
Children look like blossoms, too;
Bessie, with her jaunty ways
And trim poise of head and face,
Must have looked superior
Even to the blossoms, — for
Little Winnie once averred
Bessie looked just like the bird
Tilted on the topmost spray
Of the apple boughs in May,
With the redbreast, and the strong,
Clear, sweet warble of his song. —
" I don't know their name , " Win said —
" I ist maked a name instead. " —
So forever afterwards
We called robins " Bessie-birds. "