A home project you may wish to do with your children.
Xerox an enlargement of the text; cut out. Lay out pages
according to illustrations you cut out from different sources
(old, torn books etc.) and make your own book.
"Whoever involves himself in Perek Shirah merits to
learn, and his study is fulfilled through him, and he is
rescued from the yetzer hora, the blows of the grave
and the judgment of Gehinnom, and merits to see the days of
Moshiach and the Eternal Life of the World to Come."
(Chazal)
"Good morning!" said the sunbeam
As it stroked the mountain peaks.
"Good morning!" came the echo,
Chasing Darkness from the streets.
As she listened to the greeting,
Darkness murmured in her heart,
"Hashem sent Morning now to tell me
That it's time for me to start."
So she gathered up her robe
Of velvet black and held it tight,
And disappeared behind the mountains
With the disappearing Night.
The sleepy hills picked up their heads
While all the treetops greeted morn,
Saying thanks to the Creator
For the day that had been born.
*
"Cock-a-doodle," crowed the rooster,
"Day has dawned; it's time to rise,
Cock-a-doodle and Good Morning!
Try the new day on for size."
Mother Hen smoothed out her feathers,
And squawked in her familiar way,
"Here, my chickees, come to Mommy,
Come, get up and start the day.
With a happy song, my sweet ones,
Thank Hashem, my little brood,
For giving you today, as always,
A cozy nest and lots of food."
*
And from her nest, the snowy dove
Looked up to Heaven, full of love,
"I wish I knew just how to say
How much I owe Hashem each day
For every grain and every ray
Of sunshine that He sends my way."
*
The barnyard was alive with sound
Of birds and animals all around.
The busy bee, the fly and snail
Were singing praises without fail.
Except for one, who had no sense,
The donkey sleeping by the fence.
He kept on sleeping, lazy thing,
And didn't hear the barnyard sing.
The smiling sun sent out a ray
And tickled him in a gentle way.
"It's time to rise, and time to pray."
The donkey smiled, began to bray.
The lizards crept out from their holes,
And blessed Hashem with all their souls.
A pussy cat looked to the sky,
"Hodu laShem!" began to cry.
The apples, peaches and the corn
Gave thanks for having been reborn,
And begged Hashem to send again
His blessed sunshine, welcome rain.
High in the treetop, a little bird
Peeped out and this is what she heard,
"Praised be Hashem on land and river!
Praised be Hashem, the Mighty Giver!"
And fish were swimming from side to side,
Eyes looking up, mouths opened wide.
She stretched her wings inside her nest
And looked around at all the rest
Of birds and fish and everything,
"Cheep, cheep!" she now began to sing.
"Hashem Who guards me in my nest,
Will never sleep and never rest!
He'll watch so that I never fall,
Just as He watches one and all."
*
A sunbeam slid between the shutter,
And made the little boy's eyes flutter.
It kissed him with a warmth that said,
"Day has come -- get out of bed.
The world is singing, full of joy,
And so must you, my little boy.
So rise and shine and greet the day,
As we each do in our own way."
The boy awoke and then sat up,
And in his hands he took the cup,
He washed them with a one-two-three,
And then began, "Modeh Ani."
He thanked Hashem with all his heart,
For that's the way the day should start.
