Swing Song is a motion poem featured in Ms. Richards' collection of morality tales and poems, The Pig Brother and Other Fables and Stories (1881).
J. and P. Coats spooler thread, 1880J. and P. Coats spooler thread, 1880
s I swing, as I swing,
Here beneath my mother’s wing,
Here beneath my mother’s arm,
Never earthly thing can harm.
Up and down, to and fro,
With a steady sweep I go,
Like a swallow on the wing,
As I swing, as I swing.
As I swing, as I swing,
Honey-bee comes murmuring,
Humming softly in my ear,
“Come away with me, my dear!
In the tiger-lily’s cup
Sweetest honey we will sup.”
Go away, you velvet thing!
I must swing! I must swing!
As I swing, as I swing,
Butterfly comes fluttering,
“Little child, now come away
’Mid the clover-blooms to play;
Clover-blooms are red and white,
Sky is blue and sun is bright.
Why then thus, with folded wing,
Sit and swing, sit and swing?”
As I swing, as I swing,
Oriole comes hovering.
“See my nest in yonder tree!
Little child, come work with me.
Learn to make a perfect nest,
That of all things is the best.
Come! nor longer loitering
Sit and swing, sit and swing!”
As I swing, as I swing,
Though I have not any wing,
Still I would not change with you,
Happiest bird that ever flew.
Butterfly and honey-bee,
Sure ’t is you must envy me,
Safe beneath my mother’s wing
As I swing, as I swing.
s I swing, as I swing, Here beneath my mother’s wing, Here beneath my mother’s arm, Never earthly thing can harm. Up and down, to and fro, With a steady sweep I go, Like a swallow on the wing, As I swing, as I swing. As I swing, as I swing, Honey-bee comes murmuring, Humming softly in my ear, “Come away with me, my dear! In the tiger-lily’s cup Sweetest honey we will sup.” Go away, you velvet thing! I must swing! I must swing! As I swing, as I swing, Butterfly comes fluttering, “Little child, now come away ’Mid the clover-blooms to play; Clover-blooms are red and white, Sky is blue and sun is bright. Why then thus, with folded wing, Sit and swing, sit and swing?” As I swing, as I swing, Oriole comes hovering. “See my nest in yonder tree! Little child, come work with me. Learn to make a perfect nest, That of all things is the best. Come! nor longer loitering Sit and swing, sit and swing!” As I swing, as I swing, Though I have not any wing, Still I would not change with you, Happiest bird that ever flew. Butterfly and honey-bee, Sure ’t is you must envy me, Safe beneath my mother’s wing As I swing, as I swing.
