 | Miscellaneous Poems |  |
30
The Approach of Spring
O! spring-time now will soon be here—
The sweetest time of all the year;
When fields are green, and skies are blue,
And the world grows beautiful anew.
The sweetest time of all the year;
When fields are green, and skies are blue,
And the world grows beautiful anew.
The storms and clouds shall pass from high;
And the sun walk lordly up the sky,
And look down love and joy again
On herb, and beast, and living men.
And the sun walk lordly up the sky,
And look down love and joy again
On herb, and beast, and living men.
Then the laughing flowers on plant and tree
Shall bud and blossom pleasantly;
And spirits through the buxom air
Drop health and gladness every where:
Shall bud and blossom pleasantly;
And spirits through the buxom air
Drop health and gladness every where:
31
The birds shall build their nests, and wake
Their roundelays in bush and brake;
And the young west-wind on joyous feet
Go wooing along from sweet to sweet.
Their roundelays in bush and brake;
And the young west-wind on joyous feet
Go wooing along from sweet to sweet.
Then lives lithe Hope, live Love and Mirth;
Then God in beauty walks the earth:
The heart is in tune, and the life-blood plays,
And the soul breaks out in songs of praise.
Then God in beauty walks the earth:
The heart is in tune, and the life-blood plays,
And the soul breaks out in songs of praise.
O! spring-time now will soon be here,
The sweetest time of all the year;
When green leaves burst, and flow'rets spring,
And young hearts too are blossoming.
The sweetest time of all the year;
When green leaves burst, and flow'rets spring,
And young hearts too are blossoming.
'T was then I ventured first to twine
My Annie's trembling arm in mine;
And trod—with her I cared not where—
Through vocal fields and scented air.
My Annie's trembling arm in mine;
And trod—with her I cared not where—
Through vocal fields and scented air.
32
O days of sunshine, song, and flowers!
O young Love's early haunts and hours!
O tones and looks! O smiles and tears!
How shine ye still through lapse of years!
O young Love's early haunts and hours!
O tones and looks! O smiles and tears!
How shine ye still through lapse of years!
There was one bank we loved to climb,
All matted o'er with fragrant thyme,
And screened from every vagrant breeze
But the sweet south, up which the bees
All matted o'er with fragrant thyme,
And screened from every vagrant breeze
But the sweet south, up which the bees
Came musical; and there we stood,
And gazed down on the ocean flood,
That slept beneath us heaving mild
Between his shores, like a cradled child;
And gazed down on the ocean flood,
That slept beneath us heaving mild
Between his shores, like a cradled child;
Or turned where on the orchard trees
Young Spring sat swinging in the breeze,
Unfolding buds, and tending flowers,
For Summer's future fruits and bowers.
Young Spring sat swinging in the breeze,
Unfolding buds, and tending flowers,
For Summer's future fruits and bowers.
33
All, all was bright!—at times like this
No sight or sound comes in amiss;
But things around appear to win
A colour from the mood within.
No sight or sound comes in amiss;
But things around appear to win
A colour from the mood within.
The earth laughed into flower: the sky
Cleared off the cloud from its brow on high;
And God—the God of grace—unfurled
His flag of peace o'er a fallen world.
Cleared off the cloud from its brow on high;
And God—the God of grace—unfurled
His flag of peace o'er a fallen world.
These youthful days are past and gone;
The autumn of my years comes on;
I much am changed in mind and frame;
Yet Spring, sweet Spring, comes still the same.
The autumn of my years comes on;
I much am changed in mind and frame;
Yet Spring, sweet Spring, comes still the same.
I grow young with the young year then;
I live my past lot o'er again;
And in these hours of song and bloom
See types of those beyond the tomb.
I live my past lot o'er again;
And in these hours of song and bloom
See types of those beyond the tomb.
34
O! spring-time now will soon be here,
The spring of Heaven's millennial year;
When God again o'er nature's night,
Shall say, ‘Be light,’ and there is light.
The spring of Heaven's millennial year;
When God again o'er nature's night,
Shall say, ‘Be light,’ and there is light.
O Thou that into glorious birth
Shalt wake at last this fallen earth,
While humbler things Thy influence share,
Be not the soul forgotten there!
Shalt wake at last this fallen earth,
While humbler things Thy influence share,
Be not the soul forgotten there!
Rise, Sun of Glory! rise, and shine
Within this wintry breast of mine;
And make my inward wastes and snows
Rejoice and blossom as the rose.
Within this wintry breast of mine;
And make my inward wastes and snows
Rejoice and blossom as the rose.
Oh, while I seem to catch the sound
Of vegetation swelling round,
Grant me within a growth to prove
Of faith, and hope, and joy, and love!
Of vegetation swelling round,
Grant me within a growth to prove
Of faith, and hope, and joy, and love!
35
Spring-tide of grace, thy course begin;
Chase the dark reign of sense and sin;
From light to light advance and shine,
Till Heaven's eternal spring is mine!
Chase the dark reign of sense and sin;
From light to light advance and shine,
Till Heaven's eternal spring is mine!
| Miscellaneous Poems | |