 | Lyrics (1895) |  |
10
SPRING IN THE CITY
Into the heart of the town from the woodlands green where she lingers,
Stealing by grass-grown lanes, unvisited, winding low,
Wistfully beckons the spring, and blows from her restless fingers
Kisses that fade on the wind and leap to the western glow.
Stealing by grass-grown lanes, unvisited, winding low,
Wistfully beckons the spring, and blows from her restless fingers
Kisses that fade on the wind and leap to the western glow.
‘Sister, my sister,’ the sycamore says, ‘in the far-off city,’
‘Brothers mine,’ says the elm, ‘in smoky garden and square,’
‘Break in delicate bloom, O waken for love and pity’;
‘Shake for oblivious eyes your banner of grace on the air.’
‘Brothers mine,’ says the elm, ‘in smoky garden and square,’
‘Break in delicate bloom, O waken for love and pity’;
‘Shake for oblivious eyes your banner of grace on the air.’
11
Therefore it was that to-day, where the house fronts blink at each other,
Over each inch of earth where the seed and the rain might fall,
Eager and emulous leaves unfurled, and brother to brother
Leaned through envious fence and peeped over sundering wall.
Over each inch of earth where the seed and the rain might fall,
Eager and emulous leaves unfurled, and brother to brother
Leaned through envious fence and peeped over sundering wall.
So that the hurrying crowd, with dreary and careful faces,
Stared at the sudden green, and dreamed they were children yet,
Wondered if birds still sang in the far familiar places,
Dallied with childish hopes and smiled in the eyes of regret.
Stared at the sudden green, and dreamed they were children yet,
Wondered if birds still sang in the far familiar places,
Dallied with childish hopes and smiled in the eyes of regret.
| Lyrics (1895) | |