76 Twelve Months With 



tree and flower and bird. Never a poet so humble 

 that he has not sung the beauties and glories of 

 June. It has been a favorite theme of poets from 

 Spencer to the modern imagists. Spencer, after 

 extolling the beauties of May, sings : 



"After her came jolly June, arrayed 

 all in green leaves." 



Coleridge calls it "the leafy month of June." 

 Leigh Hunt compares the beauties of May with 



those of June, rather to the advantage of the latter 



month : 



"May's a word 'tis sweet to hear, 

 Laughter of the budding year; 

 Sweet it is to start and say 

 On May morning, 'This is May!' 

 But there also breathes a tune, 

 Hear it, — in the sound of 'June.' 

 June's a month, and June's a name, 

 Never yet hath had its fame. 

 Summer's in the sound of June, 

 Summer and a deepened tune 

 Of the bees and of the birds, 

 And of loitering lovers' words, 

 And the brooks that, as they go, 

 Seem to think aloud, yet low ; 



O come quickly, show thee soon, 

 Come at once with all thy noon, 

 Manly, joyous, gypsy June." 



