Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume I. Of Home: of Friendship. 1904. | | | | Poems of Home: II. For Children | | “How doth the little busy bee” | | Isaac Watts (1674–1748) |
| | | HOW doth the little busy bee | |
| Improve each shining hour, | |
| And gather honey all the day | |
| From every opening flower. | |
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| How skilfully she builds her cell; | 5 |
| How neat she spreads her wax, | |
| And labors hard to store it well | |
| With the sweet food she makes. | |
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| In works of labor or of skill, | |
| I would be busy too; | 10 |
| For Satan finds some mischief still | |
| For idle hands to do. | |
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| In books, or work, or healthful play, | |
| Let my first years be passed; | |
| That I may give for every day | 15 |
| Some good account at last. | | | | |
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