Dear children
I'm really glad to be back in contact with everybody even though I can't see you all. I wonder how you spent your time at home during the holidays. I have been going for long walks with my dogs and I've been growing lots of vegetables in my allotment. A few nights ago Jack Frost killed all my runner bean plants so that made me very cross. And now I must plant some more.
Here is a poem about spring. It was written a long time ago so some of the words aren't used any more. I'll explain them: "pilewort" today is called "celandine" the little bright yellow flowers shaped like a star that you see everywhere in spring especially by streams. "Pingles" are little bits of enclosed land.
I drew a picture of the poem how I imagined it. How may of the things mentioned in the poem can you find in my drawing?
Please ask someone, your mother or father perhaps, to read the poem and then I would like you to draw a picture of the poem. It can be like mine or completely different. Draw it in your drawing book if you have it at home or else on paper. And keep it safely so that I can see it later.
That's your drawing lesson for this week. I'm looking forward to seeing some beautiful pictures.
Mrs May
On a Lane in Spring
A Little Lane, the brook runs close beside
And spangles in the sunshine while the fish glide swiftly by
And hedges leafing with the green spring tide
From out their greenery the old birds fly
And chirp and whistle in the morning sun
The pilewort glitters ‘neath the pale blue sky
The little robin has its nest begun
And grass green linnets round the bushes fly
How Mild the Spring Comes in; the daisy buds
Lift up their golden blossoms to the sky
How lovely are the pingles and the woods
Here a beetle runs; and there a fly
Rests on the Arum leaf in bottle green
And all the Spring in this Sweet lane is seen
JOHN CLARE
