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From “Woodwinds”
Spring Song
SOFTLY at dawn a whisper stole | |
| Down from the Green House on the Hill, | |
| Enchanting many a ghostly bole | |
| And wood song with the ancient thrill. | |
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| Gossiping on the countryside, | 5 |
| Spring and the wandering breezes say | |
| God has thrown heaven open wide | |
| And let the thrushes out today. | |
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Serenade
The Moon puts on her silver veil | |
| And shawl of lace: and with far lutes | 10 |
| And violins in many a dale | |
| The thrushes blow their woodland flutes. | |
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| Oh, and with many a ghostly cheer, | |
| Under the moon the forest heaves | |
| And sways with ecstasy to hear | 15 |
| The eerie laughter of the leaves. | |
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Canticle
Devoutly worshiping the oak | |
| Wherein the barred owl stares, | |
| The little feathered forest folk | |
| Are praying sleepy prayers: | 20 |
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| Praying the summer to be long | |
| And drowsy to the end, | |
| And daily full of sun and song, | |
| That broken hopes may mend. | |
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| Praying the golden age to stay | 25 |
| Until the whippoorwill | |
| Appoints a windy moving-day, | |
| And hurries from the hill. | |
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Autumn Song
Once more the crimson rumor | |
| Fills the forest and the town; | 30 |
| And the green fires of summer | |
| Are burning—burning down. | |
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| Oh, the green fires of summer | |
| Are burning down once more; | |
| And my heart is in the ashes | 35 |
| On the forest floor! | |
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Interlude
Since yesterday has been no word, | |
| Nor voice of anything | |
| To thrill the forest: and no bird | |
| Has any heart to sing. | 40 |
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| Since yesterday has been no track | |
| Of Pan nor any power, | |
| To lure the gypsy summer back, | |
| And fool a single flower. | |
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Requiescat
Gray are the sentry leaves and thinned | 45 |
| That whisper at my cabin door, | |
| Sighing and mourning as the wind | |
| Worries and walks the forest floor. | |
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| O leaves, O leaves that find no voice | |
| In the white silence of the snows, | 50 |
| To bid the crimson woods rejoice, | |
| Or wake the wonder of the rose! | |
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