THE NIGHTINGALE AT EVE. 43 I know a grove Of large extent, hard by a castle huge, In wood and thicket over the wide grove, They answer and provoke each other's songs- And murmurs musical and swift jug jug, And one low piping sound more sweet than all- That, should you close your eyes, you might almost Whose dewy leaflets are but half disclosed, You may, perchance, behold them on the twigs, Their bright, bright eyes, their eyes both bright and full, Glistening, while many a glowworm in the shade And oft a moment's space, What time the moon was lost behind a cloud, As if some sudden gale had swept at once On blossomy twig still swinging from the breeze, Like tipsy Joy that reels with tossing head. COLERIDGE. BEES AND BUTTERFLIES. THE insect-world, now sunbeams higher climb, Its buttercup-like flowers that shut at night, THE ANGLER'S WISH. They sip, and find their honey-dreams are vain, The butterflies by eager hopes undone, Glad as a child come out to greet the sun : CLARE THE ANGLER'S WISH. I IN the flow'ry meads would be: I with my angle would rejoice, Sit here, and see the turtle-dove Court his chaste mate to acts of love: Or on that bank feel the west wind Here hear my Kenna sing a song, There see a black bird feed her young, 45 Or a leverock build her nest: Here give my weary spirits rest, Thus free from lawsuits, and the noise Or with my Bryan and a book, Loiter long days near Shawford Brook; And angle on, and beg to have IZAAK WALTON. APRIL. Now daisies pied, and violets blue, And lady-smocks all silver white, And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue, Do paint the meadows with delight; The cuckoo now on every tree, Sings cuckoo! cuckoo! SHAKSPEARE. WHEN apple-trees in blossom are, And king-cups deck the meadows fair; When golden wall-flowers bloom around, We then may say the May is come. When happy shepherds tell their tale And all adown the grassy vale The mocking cuckoo chanteth free; When fishes leap in silver stream, And tender corn is springing high, And banks are warm with sunny beam, And twittering swallows cleave the sky, |