MIDSUMMER NIGHT 



(To G. E. R.) 



AGAINST the deep blue of the sky a little 

 money spider was taking a line from one 

 veined ash leaf to another. Although so 

 small, he was easily seen in the waning 

 light, a dark speck moving with great care. 

 It was evening time, and the vesper hymn 

 of warblers and thrushes, pippits and black- 

 birds, was all but sung. 



Throughout the day the great vibrant 

 waves of sunlight were plangent on the 

 cornfields and rushing with golden swell 

 over the bee- visited hedgerows and green 

 meadows, vitalising the slender grasses and 

 red sorrel growing in beauty with branched 

 buttercups and incarnadine poppy flowers. 

 Slowly the day-tide of summer's light and 

 glory ebbed, the sun swung down from 



heaven and dipped its lower rim into the 

 136 



