The moment I walked into the house yesterday, my moderately heavy travel bag still weighing me down, my youngest, Kurt, told me, “Mama, I need to memorize All Things Bright and Beautiful. I’m going to recite it on November 3.”
“November 3?” I said. “Good. You have a lot of time to memorize, especially since it’s the term break.”
“I don’t have a copy of the poem.”
Image courtesy of samurai / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
“You don’t have a copy in any of your books?”
He shook his head.
“No problem. We’ll download one from the Internet.”
While I was copying the lines of the poem on a sheet of paper, I realized I, too, had to memorize this same poem when I was little because I had to recite it in school. It was my grandmother then – God bless her soul – who took the time to make sure I remembered every line.
So for those who might be interested, here goes this timeless classic that might make you remember memories of your childhood:
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Cecil Frances Alexander
All things bright and beautiful / All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful / The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens / Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors / He made their tiny wings.
The rich man in his castle / The poor man at his gate,
God made them, high or lowly / And ordered their estate.
The purple-headed mountain / The river running by,
The sunset, and the morning / That brightens up the sky.
The cold wind in the winter / The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden / He made them every one.
The tall trees in the greenwood / The meadows where we play,
The rushes by the water / We gather every day.
He gave us eyes to see them / And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty / Who has made all things well.
Poem source: PoemHunter.com
I knew this poem (now has a tune) since I was 4, I think. My kids do too.
@ C5 … thanks for dropping by. Never grows old, doesn’t it?