 | Wood-notes and Church-bells |  |
1
THE ACACIA AND THE YEW.
Mantled in the softest green
An acacia tall is seen,
Of our garden crownèd Queen:
An acacia tall is seen,
Of our garden crownèd Queen:
Shining like a thing of light,
With its blossoms milky white,
And its feathery foliage bright;
With its blossoms milky white,
And its feathery foliage bright;
From its tasselled tresses fair
Scattering on the Summer air
Fragrance delicate and rare.
Scattering on the Summer air
Fragrance delicate and rare.
Near it climbing roses grow,
And our children play below,
While the hours in sunshine go:
And our children play below,
While the hours in sunshine go:
3
O'er the churchyard wall hard by
Rises up a yew-tree high,
Like a cloud against the sky—
Rises up a yew-tree high,
Like a cloud against the sky—
Like a gloomy cloud it lowers
On the smiling Summer bowers,
And the fair acacia flowers.
On the smiling Summer bowers,
And the fair acacia flowers.
There it stands in shadow deep,
While the dead beneath it sleep,
And the mourners come to weep.
While the dead beneath it sleep,
And the mourners come to weep.
Sylvan types of earthly change—
Life and Death in contrast strange
Meeting within narrowest range.
Life and Death in contrast strange
Meeting within narrowest range.
Here, the acacia's dancing plume,
Light-green leaf and milk-white bloom—
There, the yew's funereal gloom.
Light-green leaf and milk-white bloom—
There, the yew's funereal gloom.
4
Yonder, mouldering headstones grey,
Here, bright children at their play—
Sombre yew—acacia gay!
Here, bright children at their play—
Sombre yew—acacia gay!
But alas! those flowers will die,
And the Summer sunshine fly,
And dark clouds obscure the sky.
And the Summer sunshine fly,
And dark clouds obscure the sky.
Leaf by leaf will flutter down
Under Autumn's earliest frown,
And the acacia lose its crown.
Under Autumn's earliest frown,
And the acacia lose its crown.
All its branches will stand bare
Shivering in the bitter air—
And no children will be there.
Shivering in the bitter air—
And no children will be there.
Gone the gladness and the bloom,
Gone the dancing Summer-plume—
And instead—long Winter gloom.
Gone the dancing Summer-plume—
And instead—long Winter gloom.
5
Then the yew shines forth serene
In its robe of evergreen,
Smiling on that leafless scene;
In its robe of evergreen,
Smiling on that leafless scene;
Queen-like, lifts its stately head,
Gracious influence to shed
O'er the slumbers of the dead;
Gracious influence to shed
O'er the slumbers of the dead;
Throws a tender radiance round
Headstone grey and grassy mound,
And makes glad the burial-ground.
Headstone grey and grassy mound,
And makes glad the burial-ground.
Life and beauty still are there,
When the garden-bowers are bare—
Dark acacia—yew-tree fair!
When the garden-bowers are bare—
Dark acacia—yew-tree fair!
So when this life's Summer day,
With its flowers, has passed away,
Faith will put on bright array;
With its flowers, has passed away,
Faith will put on bright array;
6
And Religion like a Queen,
Raise aloft her head serene—
All her joys are evergreen!
Raise aloft her head serene—
All her joys are evergreen!
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