xviii MY LIFE AS A NATURALIST 



I sing the doom of the itching palm, 



And grabbing lust of greed, 



I hail the dawn, with a lyric ode, 



Of an all-embracing creed. 



AU hail ! with the bluebell's silvery peal, 



With the blackbird's boxwood fife ! 



I drink from the nectar'd floral cups, 



The toast of ' The Wine of Life ' ! 



I sing of the seasons' grand parade, 



With a lilting, full-soul'd lay ; 



The Springtide's green, with studs of gold, 



And the Summer's rich brocade. 



Of Autumn's glory gold I sing 



The leaf -tints' sunset fall 



Of grim old Winter's crystal snows, 



And a hopeful dawn for all. 



I sing the song of the old camp fire, 



With its red-flamed, evening glow, 



Of the fragrant weed, of the tuneful lyre, 



Of the sign of the bended bow. 



I sing the song of the hopeful heart, 



In a tuneful, lilting strain ; 



The storm-clouds gather, and the night is dark, 



But the sun will shine again." 



CYRIL STANLEY FRETHEY 



