Mister Merryman.

He's always standing on his toes,
    And never on his heels;
He's always holding up his arms--
    I wonder how it feels.

Two balls are always in his hands,
    He never lets them drop;
He's always smiling just like this,
    And never seems to stop.

Richard Hunter

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Richard Hunter

The Shepherdess.

Richard Hunter, Simple Poetry

Dame Crump.

Richard Hunter, Simple Poetry

Jujuba.

Richard Hunter, Simple Poetry

The Twins.

Richard Hunter, Simple Poetry

English

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Smiler.

He smiles throughout the morning,
    And all the afternoon;
He smiles whene'er the sun shines,
    And also at the moon.

He smiles upon the carpet,
    Or when you pick him up;
He smiles all through his dinner,
    And when he goes to sup.

Richard Hunter

The Imp.

You may call him an imp,
    Or a gnome or a sprite;
And whate'er you call him
    You are sure to be right.

He is here, he is there,
    He will never stay long;
If you think he is caught,
    You are sure to be wrong.

Richard Hunter

The Swinging Clown.

        Swing up!
        Swing down!
Here goes the clown.

        Swing left!
        Swing right!
Mind you hold tight.

        Swing low!
        Swing high!
Right to the sky.

Richard Hunter

The Juggler

Look how he throws them up and up,
The beautiful golden balls!
They hang aloft in the purple air,
And there never is one that falls.

He sends them hot from his steady hand,
He teaches them all their curves;
And whether the reach be little or long,
There never is one that swerves.

Some, like the tiny red one there,
He never lets go far;
And some he has sent to the roof of the tent
To swim without a jar.

So white and still they seem to hang,
You wonder if he forgot
To reckon the time of their return
And measure their golden lot.

Can it be that, hurried or tired out,
The hand of the juggler shook?
O never you fear, his eye is clear,
He knows them all like a book.

And they will home to his hand at last,
For he...

Bliss Carman

Blue-Coat.

His dressing-gown's blue, and
    His girdle is red;
He wears a black cap
    On top of his head.

He carries a candle
    To give you a light,
In case you should ever
    Get up in the night.

Richard Hunter

The Cowboy.

There was a bold cowboy
    Came out of the west;
Of all the bold riders,
    This cowboy's the best.

The horse he brought with him
    Will not run away;
But stands by the side of
    His master all day.

Richard Hunter