Walk across a green field, a park or even under a clump of trees, and you will notice many wonderful things. What are some of the surprises a meadow has for someone with a keen eye and a sharp ear?

Meadows have surprises,
You can find them if you look;
Walk softly through the velvet grass,
And listen by the brook.

You may see a butterfly
Rest upon a buttercup
And unfold its drinking straws
To sip the nectar up.

You may scare a rabbit
Who is sitting very still;
Though at first you may not see him,
When he hops you will.

A dandelion whose fuzzy head
Was golden days ago
Has turned to airy parachutes
That flutter when you blow.

Explore the meadow houses,
The burrows in the ground,
A nest beneath tall grasses,
The ant’s amazing mound.

Oh! Meadows have surprises
And many things to tell;
You may discover these yourself,
If you look and listen well.

Working with the Poem

1. Read the lines in which the following phrases occur. Then discuss with your partner the meaning of each phrase in its context.

(i) velvet grass

(ii) drinking straws

(iii) meadow houses

(iv) amazing mound

(v) fuzzy head

2. Which line in the poem suggests that you need a keen eye and a sharp ear to enjoy a meadow? Read aloud the stanza that contains this line.

3. Find pictures of the kinds of birds, insects and scenes mentioned in the poem.

4. Watch a tree or a plant, or walk across a field or park at the same time everyday for a week. Keep a diary of what you see and hear. At the end of the week, write a short paragraph or a poem about your experiences. Put your writing up on the class bulletin board.