NATURE'S NUPTIALS
A lover bold, with piercing eye,
Came bounding through the frozen air;
But suddenly he stopped to sigh—
He saw a maiden sweet and fair,
And Winter fell in love at sight
With Spring, the maid, tender and bright;
Forthwith his heart was melted quite.
His love returned by Spring so true;
Her mother, Earth, as it is right,
To seek her daughter, saw the two,
And gladness warmed her whole heart through,
And thus all nature pulsed and grew.
Came bounding through the frozen air;
But suddenly he stopped to sigh—
He saw a maiden sweet and fair,
And Winter fell in love at sight
With Spring, the maid, tender and bright;
Forthwith his heart was melted quite.
His love returned by Spring so true;
Her mother, Earth, as it is right,
To seek her daughter, saw the two,
And gladness warmed her whole heart through,
And thus all nature pulsed and grew.
And as the maid maturer grew,
Her lover saw her blossom forth,
Nor he, nor anybody knew
A fairer maid in South or North.
Glad Spring's to Summer grown, and now,
Betrothed to Winter, on whose brow
Wild Autumn's oats you trace,
Old Father Time says, "Never mind—
He's stronger now. We'd better set
The day,—the Months, her comrades kind,
To serve as maids. For each you'll find
Six months of Winter's friends in wind."
Her lover saw her blossom forth,
Nor he, nor anybody knew
A fairer maid in South or North.
Glad Spring's to Summer grown, and now,
Betrothed to Winter, on whose brow
Wild Autumn's oats you trace,
Old Father Time says, "Never mind—
He's stronger now. We'd better set
The day,—the Months, her comrades kind,
To serve as maids. For each you'll find
Six months of Winter's friends in wind."
[34]
