The Oxford Book of Canadian Verse
AprilEliza Lanesford Cushing (179471886)
H
Of the soft April shower!
Telleth it not a pleasant tale
Of bird and bee and flower?
See, as the bright drops fall,
How swell the tiny buds
That gem each bare and leafless bough
Like polished agate studs.
Stands in her tasselled pride;
Oh, the pale willow decketh her
As might beseem a bride;
And round the old oak’s foot,
Where in their wintry play
The winds have swept the withered leaves,
See, the Hepatica!
Greet the first breath of Spring;
And to her shrine its clustered flowers
Their earliest offering bring.
In rocky cleft secure,
The gaudy columbine
Shoots forth, ere wintry snows have fled,
A floral wreath to twine.
Beneath the foliage sere,
Waiting spring’s warm and wooing breath
To deck the vernal year,
When, lo! sweet April comes—
The wild bird hears her voice,
And through the groves on glancing wing
Carols, ‘Rejoice! rejoice!’
The timid wood-moose steals,
And the blithe squirrel on the bough
Her genial influence feels.
The purple hue of life
Flushes the teeming earth;
Above, around, beneath the feet,
Joy, beauty, spring to birth.
Of the cerulean sky
Old Winter stands with angry frown
And bids the siren fly.
He waves his banner dark,
Raises his icy hand,
And the fierce storms of sleet and hail
Obey his grim command.
But hides her sunny face
Behind a soft cloud’s fleecy fold
For a brief instant’s space;
Then looketh gaily forth
With smile of magic power,
That changeth all his icy darts
To a bright diamond shower.
Herald of all things fair!
’Tis thine to loose the imprisoned streams,
The young buds are thy care.
To unobservant eye
Thy charms are few, I ween;
But he who roves the woodland paths
Where thy blithe foot hath been,
Of fragrant early flowers,
That thy sweet breath hath waked to deck
The dreary forest bowers;
And by the bursting buds,
That at thy touch unfold
To clothe the tall trees’ naked arms
With beauty all untold;
In the glad leaping streams,
And catch thy bland, yet fitful smile
In showers and sunny gleams;—
Then welcome, April fair,
Bright harbinger of May,
Month of blue skies and perfumed airs—
The young year’s holiday!