MARCH. 



Why chidest thou the tardy spring? 

 The hardy bunting does not chide ; 

 The blackbirds make the maples ring 

 With social cheer and jubilee; 

 The red-wing flutes his o-ka-lee, 

 The robins know the melting snow; 

 The sparrow meek, prophetic-eyed, 

 Her nest beside the snow-drift weaves. 

 Secure the osier yet will hide 

 Her callow brood in mantling leaves, — 

 And thou, by science all undone. 

 Why only must thy reason fail 

 To see the southing of the sun? 



The world rolls round, — mistrust it not, — 

 Befalls again what once befell ; 

 All things return, both sphere and mote. 

 And I shall hear my blue bird's note, 

 And dream the dream of Auburn dell." 



— Emerson. 



ARCH brings the first hesitating 

 hints of spring. Weary winter has 

 retreated into the north, but Spring 

 has not yet come, though now and 

 then she peeps out between the al- 

 ternating warm thunder showers 



and wintry snow storms of this capricious season. 



Riley sums it up as : 



"Jest rain and snow ! and rain again ! 

 And dribble ! drip ! and blow ! 

 Then snow! and thaw! and slush! and then — 

 Some more rain and snow!" 



