A Poem about Sand-Hill Cranes

Thanks to the teacher from Ontario CA who had his 4th graders read this at a talk on poetry for English learner schoolchildren at CATESOL in about 1998. They really put the zap on my head with this poem and others, like the Lion's speech from "The Wizard of Oz." Who _did_ put the ape in apricot?

The Sand-Hill Crane

By Mary Austin

Whenever the days are cool and clear,

The sand-hill crane goes walking,

Across the field by the flashing weir,

Slowly, solemnly stalking.

The little frogs in the tules hear,

And jump for their lives if he comes near;

The fishes scuttle away in fear

When the sand-hill crane goes walking.

The field folk know if he comes that way,

Slowly, solemnly stalking,

There is danger and death in the least delay,

When the sand-hill crane goes walking.

The chipmunks stop in the midst of play;

The gophers hide in their holes away;

And “Hush, oh, hush!”

the field-mice say,

When the sand-hill

crane goes walking.