The sun has long been set,
The stars are out by twos and threes,
The little birds are piping yet
Among the bushes and the trees;
There's a cuckoo, and one or two thrushes,
And a far-off wind that rushes,
And a sound of water that gushes,
And the cuckoo's sovereign cry
Fills all the hollow of the sky.
Who would go 'parading'
......
January brings the snow,
makes our feet and fingers glow.
February brings the rain,
Thaws the frozen lake again.
March brings breezes loud and shrill,
stirs the dancing daffodil.
April brings the primrose sweet,
......
Blessings on thee, little man,
Barefoot boy, with cheek of tan!
With thy turned-up pantaloons,
And thy merry whistled tunes;
With thy red lip, redder still
Kissed by strawberries on the hill;
With the sunshine on thy face,
Through thy torn brim's jaunty grace;
From my heart I give thee joy, -
I was once a barefoot boy!
......
All ye tourists who wish to be away
From the crowded city for a brief holiday;
The town of Nairn is worth a visit, I do confess,
And it's only about fifteen miles from Inverness.
And in the summer season it's a very popular bathing-place,
And the visitors from London and Edinburgh finds solace,
As they walk along the yellow sand beach inhaling fresh air;
Besides, there's every accommodation for ladies and gentlemen there.
......
O God, forgive me that I ranged
My live into a dream of love!
Will tears of anguish never wash
The passion from my blood?
Love kept my heart in a song of joy,
My pulses quivered to the tune;
The coldest blasts of winter blew
Upon me like sweet airs in June.
......
Tanagers in green trees, swinging,
Scarlet night of pearl moon, singing,
A day's come of age, romance peak,
Kitty roams the wall, dark mystique,
Blooms lustrous, radiance clinging!
It was jazzy June and green butterflies, filled the air with magic.
Then butterscotch days were long, until the purple sunset panic.
Sunny June, when music festivals, were staged in shady parks;
While in treetops purple martins, warbled their musical remarks.
Late springtime everywhere, and sandy beaches were crowded;
And it seemed such a long spell, since skies had been clouded!
In the dreamy season of youth, blossoms preened everywhere,
......
glowing fragrant June
so lustrous on black waters
rare are golden nights
most green croaking frogs
slow fireflies at hide and seek
treetop lullabies
sweet summer midnight
in dreams I feel moon's caress
......
Pink skies will turn shimmery blue,
And reveal where the redbird flew,
As sunbeams sparkle on silvery dew,
At the golden rosy dawn, fully new!
Exotic birds will all sing in tune,
As butterflies seek the blooms of June,
And we'll make plans for the afternoon,
On the other side of alabaster moon!
My window-pane is starred with frost,
The world is bitter cold to-night,
The moon is cruel, and the wind
Is like a two-edged sword to smite.
God pity all the homeless ones,
The beggars pacing to and fro.
God pity all the poor to-night
Who walk the lamp-lit streets of snow.
......