II

  But now, Carina, what divine amends
  For all delay!  What sweetness treasured up,
    What wine of joy that blends
  A hundred flavours in a single cup,
  Is poured into this perfect day! 
  For look, sweet heart, here are the early flowers
    That lingered on their way,
  Thronging in haste to kiss the feet of May,
  Entangled with the bloom of later hours,—­
  Anemones and cinque-foils, violets blue
  And white, and iris richly gleaming through
  The grasses of the meadow, and a blaze
  Of butter-cups and daisies in the field,
    Filling the air with praise,
  As if a chime of golden bells had pealed! 
    The frozen songs within the breast
  Of silent birds that hid in leafless woods,
    Melt into rippling floods
    Of gladness unrepressed. 
  Now oriole and bluebird, thrush and lark,
  Warbler and wren and vireo,
  Mingle their melody; the living spark
  Of Love has touched the fuel of desire,
  And every heart leaps up in singing fire. 
    It seems as if the land
  Were breathing deep beneath the sun’s caress,
    Trembling with tenderness,
    While all the woods expand,
  In shimmering clouds of rose and gold and green,
  To veil a joy too sacred to be seen.

III

    Come, put your hand in mine,
  True love, long sought and found at last,
  And lead me deep into the Spring divine
    That makes amends for all the wintry past. 
  For all the flowers and songs I feared to miss
      Arrive with you;
  And in the lingering pressure of your kiss
      My dreams come true;
  And in the promise of your generous eyes
      I read the mystic sign
      Of joy more perfect made
      Because so long delayed,
  And bliss enhanced by rapture of surprise. 
  Ah, think not early love alone is strong;
  He loveth best whose heart has learned to wait: 
  Dear messenger of Spring that tarried long,
  You’re doubly dear because you come so late.

SPRING IN THE SOUTH

  Now in the oak the sap of life is welling,
    Tho’ to the bough the rusty leafage clings;
  Now on the elm the misty buds are swelling;
    Every little pine-wood grows alive with wings;
  Blue-jays are fluttering, yodeling and crying,
    Meadow-larks sailing low above the faded grass,
  Red-birds whistling clear, silent robins flying,—­
    Who has waked the birds up?  What has come to pass?

  Last year’s cotton-plants, desolately bowing,
    Tremble in the March-wind, ragged and forlorn;
  Red are the hillsides of the early ploughing,
    Gray are the lowlands, waiting for the corn. 
  Earth seems asleep, but she is only feigning;
    Deep in her bosom thrills a sweet unrest;
  Look where the jasmine lavishly is raining
    Jove’s golden shower into Danaee’s breast!