Carol and Cadence :: :: University of Virginia Library

Wet ways and sullen skies!
The faint airs fall and rise;
The breeze brings up a breath of saltness from the sea.
Why is our summer day
Thus overceiled with grey?
What world-woe can it be
That thus to saddened autumn turns our latter end of May?

The faint airs rise and fall;
Still sadness broods o'er all;
No sun is out in heaven; no bird is on the wing:
And yet with flush of green

The trees are all beseen;
The birds but wait to sing
For heaven to draw the veil that spreads itself and earth between.

O birds, like me, meseems,
Ye cannot tell your dreams,
What while heaven's eye is closed and all is blank above:
Ye cannot sing aright,
Except Life's sky be bright
With sun and hope and love:
Even as the flowers and I, the God you worship is the light.

Nay, how should we be glad,
When all the world is sad,
That but the voices are of Nature's joy and pain?
Since she to May denies
Its due of sunny skies
And veils her face with rain,
We can but wait till she withdraws the cloud-veil from her eyes.

But let the blessed sun,
The cloud-cliffs overwon,
Shine out and tell the world the tale of joy and June,
And flower and bird and me
Straight shall you hear and see
For the reconquered boon,
Each, in his various voice, give thanks, of love and light and glee.