THE INCOMING OF SUMMER 



WHERE by the stream the towers of the 

 wild hyacinth bore their clustered bells, 

 sought by that gold-vestured hunchback 

 the wild bee, the willow wren sang his 

 little melody, pausing awhile to watch the 

 running water. The early purple orchids 

 grew with the bluebells, their spurs up- 

 raised, their green leaves mottled with purple. 

 Already the blackthorn had put forth its 

 blossoms, a sign of frostless nights and 

 warm days; already the blackbird had 

 planted its nest in the alder bush. Now 

 the year would advance till the grain was 

 bronzed and the red arms of the reaper- 

 and-binder whirled among its baked stems. 

 Following the green and silver windings of 

 the water the blue swallows hovered and 

 fell, but the cuckoo's voice had not yet 

 called from the pheasant coverts. Any 



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