If Ever I See Lyrics
A child spots a nest of young birds in a bush or tree and decides to leave it alone. Taking the chicks would upset their mother, just as it would upset the child's own mother to lose a child. Later the birds fly off and sing, and that makes the child glad.
If Ever I See
If ever I see,
On bush or tree,
Young birds in their pretty nest,
I must not in play,
Steal the birds away,
To grieve their mother's breast.
My mother, I know,
Would sorrow so,
Should I be stolen away;
So I'll speak to the birds
In my softest words,
Nor hurt them in my play.
And when they can fly
In the bright blue sky,
They'll warble a song to me;
And then if I'm sad
It will make me glad
To think they are happy and free.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/if-ever-i-see/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes, Poems for Children
- Written by
- Lydia Maria Child
- Tune
- Quiet and tender, in a voice for talking to small creatures, brightening on the last verse
- Best for ages
- 3 to 7 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| So I'll speak to the birds | Cup your hands as if holding something very small, and whisper hello. |
| They'll warble a song to me | Trill a little bird song, then point up to the sky. |
What Does If Ever I See Mean?
The poem is a child talking itself into being kind. Verse one gives the rule: if a nest of young birds turns up, do not take them away in play. The second gives the reason by turning it round: the child's own mother would be sad if the child were stolen, so the birds' mother would be sad too. The child promises to use softest words and not to hurt them.
The third verse is the reward. Once the birds can fly, they warble, which means sing in a trilling, wobbling way, and the child, even a sad one, is cheered to think of them free in the bright blue sky. Wild birds stay wild: they are happiest, and safest, left alone. If you find a nest, look from a distance and do not touch it. Birds also need their parents close by.
History and Origin
The poem is signed with the name Lydia Maria Child in the large children's anthology Childhood's Favorites and Fairy Stories. She was an American writer, and she is also the author of the Thanksgiving song Over the River and Through the Wood.
Learning Activities
- Nest watch: in spring, watch a bird feeder or hedge from a window and see whether the birds carry twigs or food.
- Draw the nest: draw a nest in a tree with three eggs or chicks, and a parent bird nearby.
- Mother's feelings: ask the child why the mother bird would be sad, and what a gentle way to help would be.
- Bird song game: take turns copying a bird call and guessing which bird it is.