Poem by Samuel Bamford

Hymn to Spring

SWEET bringer of new life, 
    Welcome thou hither! 
Though with thee comes the strife 
    Of changeful weather.
Oh! young and coldly fair, 
Come with thy storm-blown hair. 
Down casting snow-pearls fair,
    For earth to gather! 

Approachest thou in shower? 
    Mist hath enroll'd thee,
Till, changed by viewless power, 
    Bright we behold thee! 
Whilst chilling gales do fly, 
Then wanderest meekly by 
Green holm and mountain high, 
    Till shades enfold thee.

By dusky woodland side, 
    Silent thou rovest; 
Where lonely rindles glide, 
    Unheard thou movest; 
Wide-strewing buds and flowers, 
By fields, and dells, and bowers, 
'Mid winds and sunny showers, 
    Bounteous thou provest. 

Though ever changeful, still
    Ever bestowing;
The earth receives her fill 
    Of thy good sowing; 
And lo! a spangled sheen
Of herbs and flowers between,
Blent with the pasture green, 
    A11 beauteous growing! 

Now comes the driven hail, 
    Rattling and bounding; 
A shower doth next prevail; 
    Thunder astounding!
Until the glorious sun
Looks through the storm-cloud dun—
And, as the light doth run,
    Glad tones are sounding. 

The throstle tunes his throat, 
    On tall bough sitting; 
The ouzle's wizard note
    By dingle flitting;
The lov'd one, too, is there, 
Above his snow-fringed lair—
He sings, in sun-bright air,
    Carol befitting. 

Come ev'ry tone of joy!
    Add to the pleasure; 
Sweet robin's melody 
    Joins in the measure: 
And echoes wake and sing, 
And fairy-bells do ring, 
Where silver bubbles fling 
    Their sparkling treasure. 

The hazle bloom is hung 
    Where beams are shining; 
The honey-bine hath clung, 
    Garlands entwining,
For one who wanders lone 
Unto that bower unknown 
And finds a world, his own, 
    Pure joys combining.

Then, bringer of new life, 
    Welcome thou hither; 
And welcome, too, the strife
    Of changeful weather! 
Oh! ever young and fair,
Cast from thy storm-blown hair 
Bright drops, and snow-pearls fair 
    For earth to gather!

1. Wolsey's Grave
2. The Wind Unbound
3. To a Snowdrop
4. Dialogue with Fame

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