THE BEECH WOODS 



then and the boom of the bittern down 

 by the pond. 



Spring had come to the Beech Woods, 

 and the trees and the earth had re- 

 sponded gloriously to the call. The 

 Neighbour had felt the magic of it also 

 and had become young once more. The 

 poet who lived up the road knew it well 

 when she wrote : 



If one might live ten years among the leaves. 

 Ten — only ten — of all a life's long day, 



Who would not choose a childhood 'neath the 

 eaves 

 Low sloping to some slender footpath way? 



To learn to speak while young birds learned to 

 sing. 



To learn to run e'en as they learned to fly; 

 With unworn heart against the breast of spring, 



To watch the moments smile as they went by. 



Enroofed with apple buds afar to roam, 

 Or clover-cradled on the murmurous sod; 



To drowse within the blessM fields of home. 

 So near the earth — so very near to God. 



as 



