1-4 PLANTS OF XEW ZP^ALAND 



Bat thin their vesture now — the restless grass, 



Bending and dancing as the breeze goes by, 

 Catching qnick gleams and cloudy shades that pass, 



As sha.llow sea.s retlfct a wind-stirred sky. 

 Ah ! nohk'i' far their forest raiment was 



From crown to feet that clothed them royally, 

 Shielduig their mysteries from the glare of day, 



Eru the dark woods were reft a,nd torn awav. 



Well may these plundered and insulted kings, 



Stripped of their robes, despoiled, uncloaked, discrowned, 

 Draw down the clouds with white enfolding wings, 



And soft aerial fleece to wrap them round. 

 To hide the scars that every season brings. 



The fire's black smirch, the landslip's gaping wound ; 

 Well may they shroud their heads in mantle gruy, 



Since from their brows the leaves were plucked away ! 



(lone is the forest world, its wealth of life, 



Its jostling, crowding, thrusting, struggling ra.ee, 

 Creeper with creeper, Viush with bush at strife, 



Warring and wrestling for a breathing space ; 

 Below, a realm with ta.ngied ra.nkness rife. 



Aloft, tree columns, shafts of stateUest grace. 

 Gone is the forest nation. None might stay ; 



Giant and dwarf aHke have passed a.way. 



Gone are the forest liirds, arboreal things, 



E;it(ers of honey, honey-sweet of song. 

 The tuL, iijid the 1)ell-bird, — he w'ho sings 



Tliat brief, rich music we would fain prolong. 

 Gone the wood-pigeou"s sudden whirr of wings ; 



The daring robin, ail unused to wrong. 

 W'ild, harmless, hamadryad crea.turus, they 



Lived with their trues, and died, and passed away. 



And with tlie l)ii'ds the flowers, too, are gone 



Tliat blorancirl aloft-ethereal, stars of light ; 

 The clematis, the kowhai like ripc^ corn, 



Russet, though all the hills in green were digbt ; 

 The rata., draining from its tret.' forlorn 



Rich life-blood for its crimson blossoms bright. 

 Red glory of the gorges — well-a-day ! 



Fled is that s[ilenilonr, dead a.nd passed awav. 



