2nd Grade Poetry Memorization

We are using First Language Lessons as our grammar curriculum, which has poetry memorization as part of it's course. There are four new poems to be memorized in the second grade level, in addition to the ones memorized in the first grade level.

In addition to the new four poems in FLL, we'll memorize:

From The Harp and Laurel Wreath

1. Rain by Robert Louis Stevenson
2. Happy Thought by Robert Louis Stevenson
3. Singing by Robert Louis Stevenson
4. Time to Rise by Robert Louis Stevenson
5. Singing Time by Rose Ryleman

*The poems by Robert Louis Stevenson will be bilingual French/English memorization, they are short enough, "Singing" will be the last one we do in both languages since it is two stanzas long. There is a French/English version of "A Child's Garden of Verses".

For character during the year, because I like to read something when character issues crop up and then discuss it, especially with my dd.

From The Book of Virtues:

1. Anger by Charles and Mary Lamb
2. A Child's Prayer by M. Benthram-Edwards
3. True Nobility by Edgar Guest
4. Try, Try Again by Anonymous
5. Can't by Edgar Guest
6. Only A Dad by Edgar Guest

Anger
by Charles and Mary Lamb

Anger in its time and place
May assume a kind of grace.
It must have some reason in it,
And not last beyond a minute.

If to further lengths it go,
It does into malice grow.
'Tis the difference that we see
'Twixt the serpent and the bee.

If the latter you provoke,
It inflicts a hasty stroke,
Puts you to some little pain,
But it never stings again.

Close in tufted bush or brake
Lurks the poison-swellëd snake
Nursing up his cherished wrath;
In the purlieux of his path,

In the cold, or in the warm,
Mean him good, or mean him harm,
Whensoever fate may bring you,
The vile snake will always sting you.


A Child's Prayer
by Margaret Betham-Edwards

God, make my life a little light
Within the world to glow;
A little flame that burneth bright
Wherever I may go.

God, make my life a little flower
That giveth joy to all,
Content to bloom in native bower,
Although the place be small.

God, make my life a little song
That comforteth the sad,
That helpeth others to be strong
And makes the singer glad.

God, make my life a little staff
Whereon the weak may rest,
And so what health and strength I have
May serve my neighbors best.

God, make my life a little hymn
Of tenderness and praise;
Of faith, that never waxeth dim,
In all His wonderous ways.

*This will be our new bedtime prayer and I'm printing and laminating it to have it above both our children's beds.


True Nobility
by Edgar Guest

Who does his task from day to day
And meets whatever comes his way,
Believing God has willed it so.
Has found real greatness here below.

Who guards his post, no matter where,
Believing god must need him there,
Although but lowly toil it be,
Has risen to nobility.

For great and low there's but one test:
`Tis that each man shall do his best.
Who works with all the strength he can
Shall never die in debt to man.


Try, Try Again
by Anonymous

'Tis a lesson you should heed,
Try, try again;
If at first you don't succeed,
Try, try again;
Then your courage should appear,
For, if you will persevere,
You will conquer, never fear;
Try, try again.


Can't
by Edgar Guest

Can't is the worst word that's written or spoken;
Doing more harm here than slander and lies;
On it is many a strong spirit broken,
And with it many a good purpose dies.
It springs from the lips of the thoughtless each morning
And robs us of courage we need through the day;
It rings in our ears like a timely sent warning
And laughs when we falter and fall by the way.

Can't is the father of feeble endeavor,
The parent of terror and halfhearted work;
It weakens the efforts of artisans clever,
And makes of the toiler an indolent shirk.
It poisons the soul of the man with a vision,
It stifles in infancy many a plan;
It greets honest toiling with open derision
And mocks at the hopes and the dreams of a man.

Can't is a word none should speak without blushing;
To utter it should be a symbol of shame;
Ambition and courage it daily is crushing;
It blights a man's purpose and shortens his aim.
Despise it with all of your hatred of error;
Refuse it the lodgement it seeks in your brain;
Arm against it as a creature of terror,
And all that you dream of you someday shall gain.

Can't is the word that is foe to ambition
An enemy ambushed to shatter your will;
Its prey is forever the man with a mission
And bows but to courage and patience and skill.
Hate it, with hatred that's deep and undying,
For once it is welcomed 'twill break any man;
Whatever the goal you are seeking, keep trying
And answer this demon by saying: "I can."

*"Can't" is to be read and discussed when the problem arises, it may be recited by the offender...hmm.


Only A Dad
Edgar Guest

Only a dad with a tired face,
Coming home from the daily race,
Bringing little of gold or fame
To show how well he has played the game;
But glad in his heart that his own rejoice
To see him come and to hear his voice.

Only a dad with a brood of four,
One of ten million men or more
Plodding along in the daily strife,
Bearing the whips and the scorns of life,
With never a whimper of pain or hate,
For the sake of those who at home await.

Only a dad, neither rich nor proud,
Merely one of the surging crowd,
Toiling, striving from day to day,
Facing whatever may come his way,
Silent whenever the harsh condemn,
And bearing it all for the love of them.

Only a dad but he gives his all,
To smooth the way for his children small,
Doing with courage stern and grim
The deeds that his father did for him.
This is the line that for him I pen:
Only a dad, but the best of men.

Other poems I would like to read throughout the year just for reading:

• Let Dogs Delight by Isaac Watts
• He Prayeth Best by Samuel Coleridge (from Rime of the Ancient Mariner)
• Old and Quiet Pond by Basho (after reading "Grass Sandals")
• Little Things by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer
• I Like It When It's Mizzly by Aileen Fisher
• I Heard a Bird Sing by Oliver Herford
• Long, Long Ago (a Christmas poem)
• The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson
• Two Lessons by John Ciardi
• Who Has Seen the Wind? by Christina Rosetti
• What Do The Stars Do? by Christina Rosetti
• The Mist and All by Dixie Willson
• The Fly by Christopher Smart
• The Moon by R. L. Stevenson
• Our Saviour's Golden Rule by Isaac Watts
• Fishy-Fishy in the Brook - nursery rhyme
• The Boy That Never Sees from CLP Nature Reader, Volume 2

Poetry is very important to me, these poems listed at the end are ones that fellow homeschoolers shared that they use for 2nd grade. Other posts about Poetry memorization: Why?