  I was weary of toil and heartache, And the ways of selfish men, And wandered away through the woodlands, By streamlet and lonely glen. And soothing and sweet was the greeting The grand old woods gave to me; A whisper of angel voices, And a glimpse of eternity. And out where the green hills were smiling In the sunlight’s mellow beams, I wandered all enraptured By subtly happy dreams. The glad morning never was fairer, A gracious and perfect day, And the wondrous bloom of springtime Had crowned the loveliest May. And a thousand songsters warbled In melody sweet and clear; From nook and glade and wildwood bower It ravished the list’ning ear. And the soft skies never were bluer, The breezes never more bland, And a restful calm and peacefulness Brooded sweetly o’er the land. I turned my eyes from the fair blue skies To the turf beneath my feet; And it mantled the rolling landscape In emerald waves complete. I paused with a thrill of pure delight— A gleam as of sunset bars Shone from innumerable dandelions, That twinkled like golden stars By stream and mead and sun-crowned hills As far as the eye could trace; And the little busy honey bees Sipped the dew from each golden face. Ah, little life of a few sweet days, Born when the world is in bloom, Thou never wilt know the blight and chill Of the winter’s dreary gloom. Aye, a few sweet days to bloom and fade, And gently to pass away; Caressed by the sun and murmuring winds, And the songbirds’ wild sweet lay. Ah, spring and summer, ye fade too soon With all your beautiful days; Ye leave us in loneliness and tears, Along life’s cold wintry ways. |
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