Littell's Living Age/Volume 137/Issue 1776/A Ballad of May

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Originally published in Spectator, 25 May, 1878.

110137Littell's Living Age, Volume 137, Issue 1776 — A Ballad of MayW. H. Brett

A BALLAD OF MAY.

Sparkling like a diamond
Beams the daystar in the skies;
Nature, loosed from winter's bond,
Smiles as one in sweet surprise.
Light and life are firm allies;
Hawthorns wear their wedding white,
Pastures show their greenest guise, -
Earth is laughing with delight.

Branches leafy vests have donned,
Buds and blossoms glad the eyes,
Brakes and ferns unfurl the frond,
Daisy-bloom with clover vies;
Sings the runnel as it hies,
Swallows twitter in their flight,
Master rook his pinions tries, —
Earth is laughing with delight.

Tadpoles people pool and pond,
Cushat-calls and coos arise,
Chaffers of the dusk are fond,
All day long the cuckoo cries;
Gauzy insects, butterflies,
Flutter forth to see the sight;
Lo! the bee with saffron thighs, -
Earth is laughing with delight.

Envoi.


Lady, 'tis no time for sighs,
While the world is buoyant, bright;
Love is not a vague surmise, -
Earth is laughing with delight.

Spectator.W. H. Brett.