Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-05-22
From the Rochester Gem.
TO THE CLAYTONIA.
I" Beauty Of Spring."1

We greet thee with welcome warm, thou har-
binger of Spring
OF all its bright and blooming things, the earliest
offering;
The first and fairest Of the forms walked by the
south winds breath,
The earlics, and the sweetest flower of Flora's
vcrnal wreath!
Thourt welcome TO our cline again, thou lovcllcst
of flowers,
Thourt welcome TO our woodland glens, and TO
our forest bowers;
Thou teIlest that the winlry storm hath ceased to
scourgc the earth,
And spcakest of the opening Spring warblinS her
song OF mirth.
Thou didst not come till Winters wall heard no
more on high,
Nor till the tcmpest's clarion notes were silent in
the sky;
Thou didst not rise till tn early birds had tuned
this joyous song,
Till blue BIRDS gee and ark's wild lay were poured
the air along;
And then amidst the festive scene, reused from thy
cold, dark bed,
BY whispers low of now born Spring, and incense
round thee shed,
Thou rcard'st IN beauty's confidence, thy fair and
fragile form,
tnearfnl of the empest's power, unmndful ofthc
storm.
Andwho, thou peerless flower, hath called thee
from the dead,
And reared with guardian watchfuness, thy young
and tender head!
Whose voice, heard in each passing breeze, hath
called thee into birth.
When Spring her mantling spreads on high, ana
DER the lre>l'ning earth
And who with more than artists skill hath c'ad
and decked thee DER
In garb more exqusileIy rich than lsrael's mon
arch wore!
All! who in natures earliest green, thy slender
L., 81, Il col
And tinred with sunsets blnshng hues, thy mod
est little crest?
And who hath stlled tho tempests roar, and
Winters sullcn wall,
And given TO fan thee into life the south winds
incense gale?
And canst thou tell, thou sensclcs, thing, OF the
Omniscent One.
Whose praise thou hast no tongue TO speak, whose
name thou hast not known!
All! yes; in vocecss cloquence, thou spcakest OF
the power.
That called thee forth to bud and bloom, Springs
earliest, sweetest Hover.
Thou tell's oft creating God, whose kind, pa
rental care,
Prepared for thee thy forest home and reared thee
brightly there.
And ar, thou still within his hand? Will his al
mighty arm,
Still with parents tenderness protect thee from
the storm?
And will his eye look on thee still, through clouds
that DER thee rise,
When night her sable drapery has hung upon the
skies?
And will he still bend over thee, when tempests
gather fast,
And demons oflhe storm career upon the rushing
blast,
While skies are rent and earth is rocked by burst
ing thunder's power
Then will he not forge, TO shield the humble LITTLE
flower.
And when the hurricane hath passed, upon it,
wreckstrewn path.
Shall not thy ravished form be found, trophy
its wrath,
All scahed and torn and tramped down, all fadet
crushed and dead,
And left to blacken back 10 dust, far from its ma
tive bed?
In natures voice thou answerest, that lie who
regns on high.
Who notices the sparrow's falls, and hears the ra
vens cry,
Will still protect the humble flower. though storms
heavens arch way rend.
Though wing OF whrwnd circles wide, and strong
oaks meath il bend;
That He will still watch over thee, though nights
EMBEDDING cloud
Is spread upon the earth and sky like natures fu
neral shroud.
And to his throne thou seem'st to look with al
abiding trust,
That he will ne'er desert the flower he cherishc
from the dust
While for his kindness and his care, methnks
hear thee raise,
To Him, the High and Holy One, a grateful son!
praise. ). Ii. Y.
Rochester, April, 1910.