Dyke Side

The frog croaks loud, and maidens dare not pass

But fear the noisome toad and shun the grass;

And on the sunny banks they dare not go

Where hissing snakes run to the flood below.

The nuthatch noises loud in wood and wild,

Like women turning skreeking to a child.

The schoolboy hears and brushes through the trees

And runs about till drabbled to the knees.

The old hawk winnows round the old crow's nest;

The schoolboy hears and wonder fills his breast.

He throws his basket down to climb the tree

And wonders what the red blotched eggs can be:

The green woodpecker bounces from the view

And hollos as he buzzes bye “kew kew.”