ARBOR DA Y MANUAL. 



55 



FORWARD, MARCH! 



O PRING gives the order, " Forward, march ! 

 O Tis borne along the eager line ; 

 Breathes through the boughs of rustling larch, 

 And murmurs in the pine. 



" March ! " At the sound, impatient, springs 



The mountain rill, with rippling glee, 

 And rolling through the valley, brings 

 Its tribute to the sea. 



" March ! " and upon each sunny hill 



Old winter's allies, ice and snow, 

 Start at the music of the rill. 

 And join its onward flow. 



" March ! " Down among the fibrous roots 

 Of oaks we hear the summons ring ; 

 The long chilled life-blood upward shoots 

 To hail the coming spring. 



" March ! " and along each narrow neck, 

 Across the plain, and up the steep, 

 The spring-tide clears the winter's wreck 

 With its resistless sweep. 



Advancing in unbroken lines, 



New allies rush to join its band, 



Till winter, in despair, resigns 

 The scepter to its hands. 



On southern slopes, in quiet glades, 



And when the brooklets murmuring run; 



The grass unsheaths its tiny blades 

 To temper in the sun. 



Flora unfolds her banner bright 



Above the field of flashing green, 



And crocus blooms, in lines of light, 

 Throw back the sunlight's sheen. 



The birds in every budding tree 



Take up anew the old refrain ; 

 The spring has come ; rejoice all ye 



Who breathe its air again ! 



