BIRDS AND ALL NATURE. | 
ILLUSTRATED BY COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY. 
Vor. Vil 
APRIL, 1900. No. 4 
APRIL. 
These rugged, wintry days I scarce When drops with welcome rain the 
could bear, April day, 
Did I not know, that, in the earlyspring, My flowers shall find their April in 
When wild March winds upon their thine eyes, | 
errands sing, Save there the rain in dreamy clouds 
Thou wouldst return, bursting on this doth stay, 
still air As loath to fall out of those happy 
Like those same winds, when, startled skies; 
from their lair, Yet sure, my love, thou art most like to 
They hunt up violets, and free swift May, 
brooks That comes with steady sun when April 
From icy cares, even as thy clear looks dies. 
Bid my heart bloom, and sing, and 
break all care: 
—Lowell. 
THE PROCESSION OF SPRING. 
A morning of radiant lids 
O’er the dance of the earth opened wide; 
The bees chose their flowers, the snub 
kids 
Upon hind legs went sportive, or plied, 
Nosing, hard at the dugs to be filled; 
There was milk, honey, music to make; 
Up their branches the little birds billed; 
Chirrup, drone, bleat, and buzz ringed 
the lake. 
O shining in sunlight, chief 
After water and water’s caress, 
Was the young bronze orange leaf, 
That clung to the trees as a tress, 
Shooting lucid tendrils to wed 
With the vine hook tree or pole, 
Like Arachne launched out on her 
thread. 
Then the maiden her dusky stole, 
In the span of the black-starred zone, 
Gathered up for her footing fleet. 
As one that had toil of her own 
She followed the lines of wheat 
Tripping straight through the field, 
green blades, 
To the groves of olive gray, 
Downy gray, golden-tinged; and to 
glades 
Where the pear blossom thickens the 
spray 
In a night, like the snow-packed storm; 
Pear, apple, almond, plum; 
Not wintry now; pushing warm. 
And she touched them with finger and 
thumb, 
As the vine hook closes; she smiled, 
Recounting again and again, 
Corn, wine, fruit, oil! like a child, 
With the meaning known to men, 
—George Meredith. 
