Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. V. Browning to Rupert Brooke

Aubrey Thomas de Vere (1814–1902)

Extracts from May Carols: ‘Stronger and steadier every hour’

II. 7

STRONGER and steadier every hour

The pulses of the season’s glee

As higher climbs that vernal Power

Which rules the azure revelry.

Trees that from winter’s grey eclipse

Of late but pushed their topmost plume

Or felt with green-touched finger-tips

For spring, their perfect robes assume.

Like one that reads not one that spells

The unvarying rivulet onward run:

And bird to bird from leafier cells

Sends forth more leisurely response.

Through gorse-gilt coverts bounds the deer;

The gorse, whose latest splendours won

Make all the fulgent wolds appear

Bright as the pastures of the sun.

A balmier zephyr curls the wave;

More purple flames o’er ocean dance;

And the white breaker by the cave

Falls with more cadenced resonance;

While, vague no more, the mountains stand

With quivering line or hazy hue,

But drawn with finer firmer hand,

And settling into deeper blue.