NATURE MAGAZINE

JANUARY 1949

SUGGESTION by Jon, Karin, and Lief Ahrens

Fifteen cents was the measly sum

That we could spend for bubblegum.

But we three kids just didn't do it;

We bought, instead a chunk of suet.

We slipped it in an onion sack

And nailed it to the elm out back;

Then came inside, stamped off the snow,

(We just laugh when mad winds blow.)

And soon our elms had friends galore:

Black-capped chick-a-dees, half a score;

A red-capped downy, his plain-capped mate,

Hung round the elm, early and late.

Tufted titmice came to call ...

One hardly had a tail at all!

One tree had lots of ornaments,

All for that measly fifteen cents