Blows the thaw-wind pleasantly, By fits looks down the waking sun : Young leaves clothe early hedgerow trees; There is no time like Spring, When life's alive in everything, Before new nestlings sing, Before cleft swallows speed their journey back Along the trackless track, God guides their wing, He spreads their table that they nothing lack, — To scorch the world up in his noontide hour. There is no time like Spring, Like Spring that passes by; There is no life like Spring-life born to die, Piercing the sod, Clothing the uncouth clod, Hatched in the nest, Fledged on the windy bough, Strong on the wing: There is no time like Spring that passes by, Now newly born, and now Hastening to die. -- THE LAMBS OF GRASMERE, 1860. `HE upland flocks grew starved and thinned: Their shepherds scarce could feed the lambs Whose milkless mothers butted them, Or who were orphaned of their dams. The lambs athirst for mother's milk Filled all the place with piteous sounds: Their mothers' bones made white for miles The pastureless wet pasture grounds. Day after day, night after night, From lamb to lamb the shepherds went, With teapots for the bleating mouths Instead of nature's nourishment. The little shivering gaping things Soon knew the step that brought them aid, And fondled the protecting hand, And rubbed it with a woolly head. Then, as the days waxed on to weeks, These lambs with frisky heads and tails And following the beloved feet That once had sought for them and found. These very shepherds of their flocks, These loving lambs so meek to please, Are worthy of recording words And honor in their due degrees: So I might live a hundred years, And roam from strand to foreign strand, Yet not forget this flooded spring And scarce-saved lambs of Westmoreland. Μ' A BIRTHDAY. Y heart is like a singing bird Whose nest is in a watered shoot; My heart is like an apple-tree Whose boughs are bent with thick-set fruit; My heart is like a rainbow shell That paddles in a halcyon sea; My heart is gladder than all these Because my love is come to me. Raise me a dais of silk and down; In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys; Is come, my love is come to me. REMEMBER. R SONNET. EMEMBER me when I am gone away, Gone far away into the silent land; It will be late to counsel then or pray. Than that you should remember and be sad. AFTER DEATH. SONNET. HE curtains were half drawn, the floor was swept THE Lay thick upon the bed on which I lay, And could not hear him; but I heard him say: "Poor child, poor child": and as he turned away Came a deep silence, and I knew he wept. He did not touch the shroud, or raise the fold To know he still is warm though I am cold. 3 |