Compliments of www.easyhomeschooling.com See this poem without lines for older students at www.easyhomeschooling.com/copy-Bryant.html "The Gladness of Nature" William Cullen Bryant

I.

Is this a time to be cloudy and sad
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     When our mother Nature laughs around;
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When even the deep blue heavens look glad,
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     And gladness breathes from the blossoming ground?
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II.
There are notes of joy from the hang-bird and wren,
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     And the gossip of swallows through all the sky;
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The ground-squirrel gaily chirps by his den,
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     And the wilding bee hums merrily by.
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III.
The clouds are at play in the azure space,
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     And their shadows at play on the bright green vale,
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And here they stretch to the frolic chase,
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    And here they roll on the easy gale.
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IV.
There's a dance of leaves in that aspen bower,
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     There's a titter of winds in that beechen tree,
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There's a smile on the fruit, and a smile on the flowers,
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     And a laugh from the brook that runs to the sea.
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V.
And look at the broad-faced sun, how he smiles
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     On the dewy earth that smiles in ray,
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On the leaping waters and gay young isles;
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     Ay, look, and he'll smile the gloom away.
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