What Is The Axis?


Now you ask, "What is the Axis?"

With an apple I will show;

Place your thumb upon the stem-place,

And your finger at the blow;--

Now we'll just suppose the apple

Has a stem that passes through,

And this stem would be the Axis;

Now we'll whirl the apple, true,



Holding fast 'twixt thumb and finger,--

That's the way the Earth goes round

On its Axis, as we call it,

Though no real stem is found.

And the two ends of the Axis

Have been called the Poles, my dear;

Yes, the North Pole and the South Pole,

Where 'tis very cold and drear.



Now we'll hold a bigger apple

At a distance, for the Sun;

Tip the smaller one a little,

And then slowly wheel it round

All around the larger apple,

And it represents the Earth

Circling round the Sun that holds it,

Ceaseless, in its yearly path.



Wondrous is the strong attraction

Of the Sun which holds in place

All the Planets in their turnings,

All the Stars that see his face;

But more wondrous far the power

That created Sun and us,

And that gave a form and being,

To this mighty Universe.



"The Universe!" now you exclaim:

"By the Universe, what do you mean?"

'Tis the Sun and the Planets, and every thing known,

That we call by this Universe name.



Now the "Planets," you ask,

"What are Planets?" They're globes,

Some larger, some smaller than Earth,--

Which are swinging in space,

And are all held in place,

By the God-power that first gave them birth.



More

;