POETRY.
Queen Spring, as she flies to her distant lands; Over land, over sea, our restless wing Tarries not, save where her footstep stands.
The sunbeams flash on our ffitting breasts, To lighten our beautiful Mistress's way ; And when for a moment her fleet foot rests, Over her head we hover and play.
Men cannot see our beautiful Queen, But they think Spring follows wherever we fly ; And they cry to us,—Stay, that the woods may be green!' And,—Rest, that the Winter may come not nigh!
But the beautiful Spring is flying, and we Must fly with her,—fly with her over the land ; And follow her,—follow her over the sea, For her guard, in a vast, invincible band.
For see ! the Autumn with fiery hand Is touching our haunts in the tall green trees ; And ruthlessly soon his flaming brand Shall bid our bright homes flare in the breeze..
And soon the armies of Winter shall march, The legioned frosts, o'er the land below ; Whose feet the rivers and fountains parch, Whose hands hurl arrowy hail and snow.
Poor men ! your beautiful Spring should die, Stricken and slain by the Winter, if we Did not shield her flying, and with her fly Where never a Winter's breath may be But fear not, far tho' she fly from you, Long tho' the tyrant Winter reign, For his forces vainly her feet pursue, And safe she shall come to you yet again.
Far in the lands where you weep her gone, She shall gather armies and mighty bands, She shall borrow the arrowy shafts of the sun, To drive the winter out of your lands.
The west wind and south shall her 'chariots be, When with force invincible on the track Of the pallid Winter she march, and we And Summer and joy in her train come back.
F. W. B.
Previous page
