SPRING AND WINTER When 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 then, on every tree, mocks married men; for thus sings he, cuckoo! Cuckoo, cuckoo! O word of fear, unpleasing to a married ear! When shepherds pipe on oaten straws, and merry larks are ploughmen’s …

SPRING SONG The air was full of sun and birds, the fresh air sparkled clearly. Remembrance wakened in my heart, and I knew I loved her dearly. The fallows and the leafless trees, and all my spirit tingled. My earliest thought of love, and Spring’s first puff of perfume mingled. In my still heart the thoughts awoke, came lone by …

I HAVE A BIRD IN SPRING I have a Bird in spring, which for myself doth sing. The spring decoys. And as the summer nears. And as the Rose appears, Robin is gone. Yet do I not repine, knowing that Bird of mine though flown. Learneth beyond the sea, melody new for me, and will return. Fast is a safer …

SLOW SPRING O year, grow slowly. Exquisite, holy, the days go on with almonds showing the pink stars blowing, and birds in the dawn. Grow slowly, year, like a child that is dear, or a lamb that is mild, by little steps, and by little skips, like a lamb or a child. (Katharine Tynan)

TO THE SPRING Welcome, gentle Stripling, nature’s darling thou! With thy basket full of blossoms, a happy welcome now! Aha! And thou returnest, heartily we greet thee. The loving and the fair one, merrily we meet thee! Think’st thou of my maiden, in thy heart of glee? I love her yet, the maiden. And the maiden yet loves me! For …

SPRING Spring am I, too soft of heart, much to speak ere I depart: ask the Summer-tide to prove, the abundance of my love. (William Morris)

SPRING RAIN Spring rain, leaking through the roof, dripping from the wasps’ nest. (Matsuo Basho)

TO SPRING Sound the flute! Now it’s mute! Bird’s delight, Day and night, nightingale, in the dale, lark in sky. Merrily, merrily merrily, to welcome in the year. Little boy, full of joy; Little girl, sweet and small; Cock does crow, so do you; Merry voice, infant noise; Merrily, merrily, to welcome in the year. Little lamb, here I am; …

THE HAMPSTEAD HEATH TOAD It was one of those beautiful English summer nights, when levitating on the moonshine of a moonlit world was your entranced lucky fate. The lilac shimmer of silent lakes. The whisper of ghost fox through your heartbeat. But the toad in the hand stank real. Stank through his palpitating skin. Stank of fear. Is the fabled …