The Little Lark Lyrics
A child hears a pretty bird but cannot see it, and asks the little lark three times why it sings so early, so high in the sky. In the next three verses the lark answers: to watch the star sink and the sun rise, to sing to the morning light, and to let the little birds and the ploughman know the day has begun.
The Little Lark
I hear a pretty bird, but hark!
I cannot see it any where:
Oh! it is a little lark,
Singing in the morning air.
Little lark, do tell me why
You are singing in the sky.
Other little birds at rest,
Have not yet begun to sing;
Every one is in its nest,
With its head behind its wing:
Little lark, then, tell me why
You sing so early in the sky.
You look no bigger than a bee,
In the middle of the blue,
Up above the poplar tree;
I can hardly look at you:
Come, little lark, and tell me why
You are mounted up so high.
'Tis to watch the silver star,
Sinking slowly in the skies;
And beyond the mountain far,
To see the glorious sun arise:
Little lady, this is why
I am mounted up so high.
'Tis to sing a merry song,
To the pleasant morning light:
Why linger in my nest so long,
When the sun is shining bright?
Little lady, this is why
I sing so early in the sky.
To the little birds below,
I do sing a merry tune;
And I let the ploughman know
He must come to labour soon.
Little lady, this is why
I am singing in the sky.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/the-little-lark/
- Type
- Poems for Children, Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- A questioning tune that rises in the first three verses, and a bright, answering tune in the last three
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Singing in the morning air. | Open and close your hand like a beak while you sing a short note. |
| Up above the poplar tree; | Stretch one arm up high and wiggle your fingers like a tiny bird. |
What Does The Little Lark Mean?
The poem has two halves of three verses each. In the first half a child hears a lark singing but cannot find it. The other birds are still asleep in their nests with their heads behind their wings, yet this one is already up, so high that it looks no bigger than a bee above the poplar tree, a tall, slim tree. Each verse ends with a question: little lark, tell me why you sing so early in the sky?
In the second half the lark answers, and each answer ends with Little lady, this is why. It goes up to watch the star sink and the sun rise. It sings to the pleasant morning light, and asks why anyone would linger in the nest when the sun is shining. And it sings for the little birds below and to let the ploughman, the farmer who ploughs the fields, know it is time to start work. Three questions and three answers make it a good poem for two voices.
History and Origin
This poem is in Rhymes for the Nursery, by the Authors of Original Poems, in the 23rd edition printed in London in 1831.
Learning Activities
- Two voices: one person asks the three questions, another is the lark and gives the three answers.
- Early listening: on a quiet morning, open a window and listen for the first bird to sing.
- Tiny bird: hold up a thumb and finger a little apart to show how small a lark looks from far below.
- Why do you sing?: ask the child what they do first thing in the morning, and why.