When the scarlet cardinal tells,
Her dream to the dragon-fly,
And the lazy breeze rocks the nest in the trees,
And murmurs a lullaby, —
It is July.
When the tangled cobweb pulls
The corn-flower’s blue cap awry,
And the lilies tall lean over the wall
To bow to the butterfly, —
It is July.
When the heat like a mist-veil floats,
And poppies flame in the rye,
And the silver note in the streamlet’s throat
Has softened almost to a sigh, —
It is July.
When the hours are so still, that Time
Forgets them, and lets them lie
‘Neath petals pink, till the night-stars wink
At the sunset, in the sky, —
It is July.
A Year of Beautiful Thoughts Edited by Jeanie Ashley Bates Greenough (1902) | Susan Hartley Swett
Suggestions
- Read the poem aloud.
- Have your child copy a favorite stanza.
- He can also draw or illustrate the stanza.
- What are some ways your child can describe that indicate to him it is July?
- Have him add a stanza of his own following the form of the poem.
Additional Resources
“The Barefoot Boy” by John Greenleaf Whittier
Read another poem about summer.
“The Butterfly and the Bee” by William Lisle Bowles
Another poem about things you might see in July.
Free Nature Studies: Plants & Their Stems
Learn more about lilies.
Free Nature Studies: Butterflies & Moths
Learn more about butterflies. Why are you likely to see them in July?
Star Stories for Little Folks ~ Free eBook
What stars are you likely to see in July where you are?
A Year of Beautiful Thoughts {Free eBook}
You’ll find this poem and others (one for each day of the year) in this free book!
