 | Carol and Cadence |  |
ON THE OMNIBUS.
High-throned, I ride; to left and right,
The streets unroll before my sight:
Life lapses past me, as I look;
I read the roadways, like a book
The streets unroll before my sight:
Life lapses past me, as I look;
I read the roadways, like a book
Whose pages are the passers-by.
Each hath a story in his eye,
A writ of versicoloured hours,
Deep-charactered of sun and showers.
Each hath a story in his eye,
A writ of versicoloured hours,
Deep-charactered of sun and showers.
Sad only yesterday their tale
With memories was of rain and hail;
The faces of the streets were dark
And sinister with care and cark.
With memories was of rain and hail;
The faces of the streets were dark
And sinister with care and cark.
To-day how different of show
The farers are that come and go!
Another tale their faces tell
Of Summer come and all is well.
The farers are that come and go!
Another tale their faces tell
Of Summer come and all is well.
The very housefronts hail the dear
Sweet season of the flowered year:
The streets have shuffled off the grime
And grievousness of winter time.
Sweet season of the flowered year:
The streets have shuffled off the grime
And grievousness of winter time.
The world hath cast away its care;
Old London steeps in summer air
And basks beneath the blessed sun,
That shines and smiles for every one.
Old London steeps in summer air
And basks beneath the blessed sun,
That shines and smiles for every one.
103
Was ever such a thing as stress
And strain of Winter-weariness?
In green and gold of summertide
The town to-day is glorified.
And strain of Winter-weariness?
In green and gold of summertide
The town to-day is glorified.
Life's young, that yesterday was old;
Its dreams are clad in blue and gold;
In wonder-weeds of glee and glory
Transfigured is its sorry story.
Its dreams are clad in blue and gold;
In wonder-weeds of glee and glory
Transfigured is its sorry story.
Its discords all again in tune
Are fallen beneath the touch of June;
The wandering winds bring up the spice
And frankincense of Paradise.
Are fallen beneath the touch of June;
The wandering winds bring up the spice
And frankincense of Paradise.
The starlings' chatter fills the air
And pigeons, fluttering here and there,
With plumage dapple all the day
Of slaty blue and rosy grey.
And pigeons, fluttering here and there,
With plumage dapple all the day
Of slaty blue and rosy grey.
Was ever such a town for trees?
In every nook and coign one sees
Tall stems, that stood, unmarked, unseen,
Till Summer suited them in green.
In every nook and coign one sees
Tall stems, that stood, unmarked, unseen,
Till Summer suited them in green.
At each street-end the bloomy Park
Its domes of verdure raises, ark
Of refuge for the thirsting spright,
That pines for flowers and leaves and light.
Its domes of verdure raises, ark
Of refuge for the thirsting spright,
That pines for flowers and leaves and light.
Ah Summer, wizard of the world,
Thy banners, in the blue unfurled,
Have made this smoky stead of ours
A town of birds and trees and flowers!
Thy banners, in the blue unfurled,
Have made this smoky stead of ours
A town of birds and trees and flowers!
Was ever miracle like thine,
That solvest us of care and pine
And even to London's steppes of stone
A glory grantest of thine own?
That solvest us of care and pine
And even to London's steppes of stone
A glory grantest of thine own?
104
So ever blesséd be, sweet time
Of love and light, of rest and rhyme,
And when thou go'st, our thanks ensue
Thy memory, till thou com'st anew!
Of love and light, of rest and rhyme,
And when thou go'st, our thanks ensue
Thy memory, till thou com'st anew!
| Carol and Cadence | |