Interludes and Undertones, or, Music at Twilight | ||
150
CXIV. UNDER THE OLD OAK TREE.
March 31, 1881.
I
What saith the wild March wind to thee,As he blusters and raves in thy branches free,
Thou stately, beautiful, old oak tree?
I fancy I hear as he gallops along,
Anthem and psalm, and jubilant song,
As his voice makes answer back to thine,
In a symphony divine.
II
Is it but fancy, if we deemThat flower and tree and storm and stream,
And, twinkling up in the depths afar,
Planet with planet, star with star,
Have silent voices each to each,
And that vain men who prate and preach
Have no monopoly of speech?
III
Speaks not the torrent to the rock,Speaks not the cloud to the thunder shock,
151
Moaning and sorrowing evermore;
Speaks not the wild March wind to thee,
And thou to it in converse free,
Thou stately, beautiful, old oak tree?
Interludes and Undertones, or, Music at Twilight | ||