Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/37

Rh

Then earth, though old, once more grows vain.

And, cheered by balmy dews and rain,

Forgets her poverished drear estate

’Neath winter stern and obdurate;

For pride awaketh new desire

To dizen her in bright attire,

And thereto doth she fashion quaint

And fair habiliments, and paint

Them o’er with tints of varying hue,

Green herb, and flowers, white, red, and blue;

And tricked in such gay robes I ween

Old Earth loves dearly to be seen.

The merry birds that silence kept

While all the world ’neath winter slept,

And wild winds roared, and skies were grey

With rain, break forth, when cometh May,

In lusty note, and let sweet song

Proclaim their joy that winter’s wrong

Is past, and now once more doth reign

Sweet spring-tide o’er old earth’s domain.

Then nightingales with new-born voice

Through day and night make dulcet noise.

While larks on high, and in the brake

The woodwales, heavenly music wake;

And hearkening such sweet clamour, soon

Young hearts respond the amorous tune

In this sweet season of fair spring.

O dull the soul that carolling

Of birds delighteth not when they

The echoes wake in joyous May.

’Twas in this season of delight.

When all things love as if of right,

Rh