Two Joyfully Reciting Their Poems

Charlotte Mason couldn't have been more accurate in her assessment of having children memorize and recite poems and scripture. This is Zane reciting his poem "Time to Rise" and Lilly with a more polished recitation of "My Kingdom" both by Robert Louis Stevenson. With these memorized we moved on today to their next assignments. Zane will be learning "Rain" by Stevenson as well. Lilly will memorize the Lord's Prayer. Both of them almost could recite these after just a few tries. I guess as Ms. Mason states and they have so quickly proven, I should expect more from them. Thanks for all the comments. Lilly was thrilled and much encouraged.

"My Kingdom" by Robert Louis Stevenson

Down by a shining water well I found a very little dell, no higher than my head.

The heather and the gorse about in summer bloom were coming out, some yellow and some red.

I called the little pool a sea; the little hills were big to me; For I am very small.

I made a boat, I made a town,I searched the caverns up and down, and named them one and all.

And all about was mine, I said, the little sparrows overhead,the little minnows too.

This was the world and I was king; for me the bees came by to sing, for me the swallows flew.

I played there were no deeper seas, nor any wider plains than these, nor other kings than me.

At last I heard my mother call, out from the house at evenfall to call me home to tea. And I must rise and leave my dell. And leave my dimpled water well, and leave my heather blooms.

Alas! and as my home I neared, how very big my nurse appeared. How great and cool the rooms!

Our first 12 weeks of school we are focusing on the author Robert Louis Stevenson. Lilly chose this poem out of the book A Child's Garden of Verses by Stevenson. She also choose for us to read aloud to her the classic Treasure Island by Stevenson. This video was taken about a week and a half ago and we may decide to update it if she'd like to do another video. Our next memory work will be The Lord's Prayer. Please comment....for Lilly! She's been a little shy about performing this in front of others. Hopefully, she'll gain more confidence. This is her first poem to memorize.