Night and Day

Robert Louis Stevenson · 1885

Catalog grade guidance: K–5 — Short children’s lyric; good for early memorization and reading aloud.

46 content lines · 220 words · Est. recitation about 2 min 18 sec (approx.)

Public-domain text for reading and recitation practice. Source: Project Gutenberg #136.Estimated time uses ~120 words/minute plus short pauses—not a contest rule.

Night and Day

  When the golden day is done,
       Through the closing portal,
  Child and garden, flower and sun,
       Vanish all things mortal.

  As the building shadows fall
       As the rays diminish,
  Under evening's cloak they all
       Roll away and vanish.

  Garden darkened, daisy shut,
       Child in bed, they slumber--
  Glow-worm in the hallway rut,
       Mice among the lumber.

  In the darkness houses shine,
       Parents move the candles;
  Till on all the night divine
       Turns the bedroom handles.

  Till at last the day begins
       In the east a-breaking,
  In the hedges and the whins
       Sleeping birds a-waking.

  In the darkness shapes of things,
       Houses, trees and hedges,
  Clearer grow; and sparrow's wings
       Beat on window ledges.

  These shall wake the yawning maid;
       She the door shall open--
  Finding dew on garden glade
       And the morning broken.

  There my garden grows again
       Green and rosy painted,
  As at eve behind the pane
       From my eyes it fainted.

  Just as it was shut away,
       Toy-like, in the even,
  Here I see it glow with day
       Under glowing heaven.

  Every path and every plot,
       Every blush of roses,
  Every blue forget-me-not
       Where the dew reposes,

  "Up!" they cry, "the day is come
       On the smiling valleys:
  We have beat the morning drum;
       Playmate, join your allies!"


                                            II