12 Twelve Months With 



ing, of promise and of joy, as voiced by Louis 

 Untermeyer : 



"God, I return to You on April days 



When along country roads You walk with me, 

 And my faith blossoms like the earliest tree 



That shames the bleak world with its yellow sprays 



My faith revives, when through a rosy haze 

 The clover-sprinkled hills smile quietly, 

 Young winds uplift a bird's clean ecstasy * * * 



For this, O God, my joyousness and praise!" 



With what alert and expectant ear do we await 

 the first spring robin's call! With what a thrill of 

 ecstasy do we hear his first spring song! I never 

 find it necessary to record in my note book, the date 

 of the arrival of my first spring robin. I know the 

 dates for years back. His cheery call means for 

 me the beginning of a new year, and forgetfulness 

 of winter, as Thos. S. Jones so happily expresses it: 



"You hold my winter in forgetfulness; 

 Without my window lilac branches swing, 

 Within my gate I hear 

 a robin sing." 



And while the bluebird shares with the robin 

 the glory of being our most common and most 

 beloved April bird, 



"When mid the budding elms the 



bluebird flits, 

 As if a bit of sky had taken wings;" 



