Famous poet /1835-1886

Olive A. Wadsworth

Born Katherine Floyd, Jan 21, 1835 in Mastic, Long Island, she married William B. Dana, a business tycoon of the Golden age. She secretly helped her husband write his Commercial & Financial Chronicle which was the leading paper of the day for all things that dealt with commerce, business cash advance and BIG money. Mrs. Dana carefully chose the pen name Olive A. Wadsworth and often signed her manuscripts and letters O. A. W. which to her inside circle really stood for 'Only A Woman.'

Katherine passed away at the age of 51 on April 6,1886 at her other home "Grey Cliffs" in Englewood, NJ. She is buried at the Floyd Estate Family Cemetery In Mastic Beach.

Olive A. Wadsworth Follow

Over in the Meadow

Over in the meadow,
In the sand in the sun
Lived an old mother toadie
And her little toadie one.
"Wink!" said the mother;
"I wink!" said the one,
So they winked and they blinked
In the sand in the sun.

Over in the meadow,
Where the stream runs blue
Lived an old mother fish
And her little fishes two.
"Swim!" said the mother;
"We swim!" said the two,
So they swam and they leaped
Where the stream runs blue.

Over in the meadow,
In a hole in a tree
Lived an old mother bluebird
And her little birdies three.
"Sing!" said the mother;
"We sing!" said the three
So they sang and were glad
In a hole in the tree.

Over in the meadow,
In the reeds on the shore
Lived an old mother muskrat
And her little ratties four.
"Dive!" said the mother;
"We dive!" said the four
So they dived and they burrowed
In the reeds on the shore.

Over in the meadow,
In a snug beehive
Lived a mother honey bee
And her little bees five.
"Buzz!" said the mother;
"We buzz!" said the five
So they buzzed and they hummed
In the snug beehive.

Over in the meadow,
In a nest built of sticks
Lived a black mother crow
And her little crows six.
"Caw!" said the mother;
"We caw!" said the six
So they cawed and they called
In their nest built of sticks.

Over in the meadow,
Where the grass is so even
Lived a gay mother cricket
And her little crickets seven.
"Chirp!" said the mother;
"We chirp!" said the seven
So they chirped cheery notes
In the grass soft and even.

Over in the meadow,
By the old mossy gate
Lived a brown mother lizard
And her little lizards eight.
"Bask!" said the mother;
"We bask!" said the eight
So they basked in the sun
On the old mossy gate.

Over in the meadow,
Where the quiet pools shine
Lived a green mother frog
And her little froggies nine.
"Croak!" said the mother;
"We croak!" said the nine
So they croaked and they splashed
Where the quiet pools shine.

Over in the meadow,
In a sly little den
Lived a gray mother spider
And her little spiders ten.
"Spin!" said the mother;
"We spin!" said the ten
So they spun lacy webs
In their sly little den.

Analysis (ai): The poem follows a repetitive structure, introducing various animal families residing in different meadow habitats, each with their unique behavior. The language is simple and straightforward, using action verbs like "wink," "swim," "sing," and "buzz" to emphasize the animals' actions.

This poem is similar to Wadsworth's other works in its focus on nature and the celebration of the animal world. It also reflects the Victorian era's fascination with the natural world, as seen in works by writers like Robert Louis Stevenson and Beatrix Potter.

The poem offers a delightful portrayal of animal life in the meadow, capturing the essence of different species and their unique characteristics. Its popularity as a children's poem highlights its ability to connect with young readers and foster a love for nature.