The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-30
WHERE SUMMER BIDEs.
A WINTER DAY-DREAM.

" was the nardy red-blrdS ringing cry,
Sweet, and SO clear;
!. What cheer-tphdt chs,rf"
Again that questioning sounded In my ear,
"Whdt cheer-toha cherf'
My heart could not reply;
For TO my mind the chilly world was drear,
And all about me fell
The liz ht-winged snowfiakes, and that bird and /
Were all that lived within the wintry dell
Where had wandered why, cannot tell.
The oncegreen banks were sere
And all the summers leaves were crisp and dead
stood, and leaned my head
Against lichened beech that grew hard by,
And In my heart a tear
Rose with a sigh,
While still the red bird called. "What ehter-what
cheerf"
"Whdt cheer-trhdi cheerf'
A vision seemed to spread before my eyes;
A sudden spring time walked the sleeping year.
The sun shone clear;
The balmy air came softly from the skies.
The spicewood bending near,
Began TO bud TO bloom. The silent stream
Awakened, low murm uring, from It's winter dream.
Along the banks green grass began 10 grow;
The violets sprnng
Among the dead leaves and the falling snow
Was turned 10 clusters of anemones
Ampturous glow
vernal fragrance stole among the trees,
From flower 10 flower swift few the iOurneying
Amidst the NOISY rocks
The saxifrage peeped forth, and near, below,
The purple phlox
Stirred with the breeze: ndhigh up on the brink,
Cleaned, like scarlet star lthe mountain pink
"Whdt ohoer-iohdt chfd''
There was not need TO ask, nor for reply;
It's echo now made answer to the cry.
With budentolding spear
The young May-apple pierced the sod and spread
Her silken canopy. The dog-wood,s bough
Grew heavy with white bloom; and brlyely now
Nav hpr WouIpr1s mud nil head
million tints of green
Burst from the interlaclng twigs Soft fringe
Hung on the sugartrees. A rosy tnge
Icrept on the rugged oaks; aud many a cup
ofnewest. golden sheen
>1he giant tulip-tree's high hands held up
- And, all between,
! Were lnbyrinthine lacinR OF the vino,
With buds translucent In the sun. The scene
Was all too fair
The snowy hawthorn and the eglantne
Trcked out the blithe entertainments clustered
with Joys too keen;
For beauty bring some strange, unnamed despair
Infringing with fierce rapture, all divine,
Which gods alone may bear.
What cko1r-ichdt chuf'
thousand voices now made mock at care;
So dear 80 dear,
Those oitrepcatad hottest They filed the air
With OVERLOOKING mrth,
Those lavish NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. as the earth:
20 rich. 20 bountiful they need not spare.
The lark called from the Towering slope.
The thrush
Held all the dell enhanced. Prom bush 10 bush
The warbling bluebird few The oriole
Like some enchanted soul.
Amidst the emerald LEAKAGE went and came,
yoiceiul fire, song clad In bright lame.
And on the hill
The chat. the nuthaich, and the jay are still,
The robin too reinns,
While from some towering branch
The mock bird pours his ripping avalanche
OF interningling strains,
And floods the fields Of sunshine with his clear
inimitable song
And yet the r,dbirl was not silent long,
But cried, " Wh1f chtr-irhdi ehCcrf'
"tTh tchtcr-trhd' che r.
Ike some past grief recalled that cry hear.
NTH splendid strides swift summer makes nd
And spreads her blazing glorcs far and near
Magnificent, luxuriant arrogance
That knows no pcer
Unmatched, unryalled summer Whose mere mlrl
Md laughter makes quick conquest Of the earth.
Toys dream fulfilled, rose Of the rounded year,
Triumphant summer lies bud blooms In thee
The later days may wanc,
And blight may fall upon the autumn grain;
The timid spring may sec
Her hopes made vain
81 lingering irusts, or by the chilling rnin
Sut thou Grt perfect. sorrow finds not thee
he blooming iris nodded on the brae;
The lnnguid air was heavy with the scent
)i ieyming fields, the sleepy binds grew still
The white clouds went,
sow-drliting, past the tree tops on the hill:
The slumbcring sunlight lay
Along the WOO Hands breast aud In dream
The listening branches bent
Above the stream,
Which sang. low.yoiccd. In drowsy, sweet oonten
The daprled shadows crypt
With noseless feet that marked the passing day,
When, ~ II tell
rhe vision wavercd and chill wind swept
The changing picture of the summer dell,
Aud In n moment all had passed away.
The snowilakcs wandered through the bmnch
Ice hnshsd the stream once more the banks we
scrc;
The faded. drifting leaves were dead and dry;
The winter weeds were grouped In clustcn drcar
hut shfill aud clear,
The rcd bird whlsilcd from the coLse near by,
"HAai cho,r-tohaf Oh ar
"UAaf ehsr-uhdf eA<err'
Aploaslng fancy nestlcs In my heart,
Where now ! hear
Among the cherries trees that questioning cry.
From earth the summer rover doth depart
Within the silent dell she hidos,
Unseen. amidst the lacing twigs she hides,
80 with that fancy do please my mind
To thlnk-albeit snow lieth on the hill,
And though the wind
n cold. though ioyle-s arr the fields, and chill
The wIntry woodland wayt-
Yet somewhere unseen, haply hiding near,
Sweet summer stayA
Oloyed one dear,
moi thus would fade these dreams Of happy da
Could but hnd thee here.
Not silent then were
How easily my heart could make reply,
When should hear
from your gray sl0pe. "a now, that ringing cry,
"Hhdf chSr-uhai chef