May Day is Here!

Read Time:3 Minute, 5 Second

May 1st is May Day, which is traditionally celebrated with parades, games, and cake. Supposedly, children would do a ‘ribbon dance’ around a maypole, weaving ribbons of various colors to create a sort of braid. I wonder if they still do this? I have only heard about it in poems!

Spring is my favorite season. I have many memories of lying in the grass in perfect weather at the school playground or in my front yard and fancying seeing shapes in the clouds. “Look!” I might cry to my sister who was lying next to me, “That one’s an elephant! Now it’s a mermaid! Now it’s a turtle!”

This poem reminded me of those times. I have been thinking a lot lately about our cloud deciphering that we did! These 3 poems are in the second volume of the 1961 edition of Childcraft.

Spring Morning

Where am I going? I don’t quite know.

Down to the stream where the king-cups grow–

Up on the hill where the pine trees grow–

Anywhere, anywhere. I don’t know.

Where am I going? The clouds sail by,

Little ones, baby ones, over the sky.

Where am I going? The shadows pass,

Little ones, baby ones, over the grass.

If you were a cloud, and sailed up there,

You’d sail on water as blue as air,

And you’d see me here in the fields and say:

“Doesn’t the sky look green today? “

Where am I going? The high rooks call:

“It’s awful fun to be born at all.”

Where am I going? The ring-doves coo:

“We do have beautiful things to do. “

If you were a bird, and lived on high,

You’d lean on the wind when the wind came by,

You’d say to the wind when it took you away:

“That’s where I wanted to go today! “

Where am I going? I don’t quite know.

What does it matter where people go?

Down to the wood where the bluebells grow–

Anywhere, anywhere, I don’t know.

A. A. Milne

I like some of the poems that A. A. Milne wrote, as long as they are not about Christopher Robin. It ruins it a little for me when he mentions him.

Afternoon on a Hill

I will be the gladdest thing

Under the sun!

I will touch a hundred flowers

And not pick one.

I will look at cliffs and clouds

With quiet eyes,

Watch the wind bow down the grass,

And the grass rise.

And when lights begin to show

Up from the town,

I will mark which must be mine,

And then start down!

Edna St. Vincent Millay

Ooh! I reflected briefly on this poem and it got me thinking about how nice it is to sit in the quiet. What did this thought lead me to? That beautiful song that goes “In the secret, in the quiet place. In the stillness you are there. In the secret, in the quiet hour I wait only for you. I want to know you more” 🙂

May Night

The spring is fresh and fearless

And every leaf is new,

The world is brimmed with moonlight,

The lilac brimmed with dew.

Here in the moving shadows

I catch my breath and sing–

My heart is fresh and fearless

And over-brimmed with spring.

Sara Teasdale

See what I did there? We have a morning, afternoon, and night poem! Oh, the completeness of it all! 😀

Have a Happy May Day! Does your city or town have a May Day celebration? Do you remember any festivities for May Day growing up? Please let us know in your comments!