University of Virginia Library

MAY.

'Tis Spring! 'tis Spring! all creatures know it,
The skies, the earth, the waters shew it,
The freckled snakes come out i' the sun,
The leveret's race in the meadows green;
The sleep of the little dormouse is done,
And the frisking squirrel again is seen!
Come, come who will,
Let us take our fill
Of delight in the valley, the field, the hill;
Let us go to the wood that so late was still;
The air is ringing
With singing, singing!

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The flowers are springing
The lanes along,
The white and the red,
And the umbelled head,
And the single-blowing,
All thickly growing,
This merry May morn, a thousand strong!
The fishes are glad this May morning,
And like things of light
Through the waters bright,
Flash to and fro!
There's a sound of joy in the youthful Spring—
Hark! hark!
There sings the lark!
Why tarry we yet? let's go!
The strong lamb boundeth,
The glad foal neighs;
And joy resoundeth
A thousand ways—
Over hill and valley, and wood and plain,
Joy poureth down like a shower of rain!
I'll tarry no more! come, come, let's go!