Celebrating April with Evaleen Stein

 Hello everyone –

 

This edition of Quotemail is (somewhat loosely) organized around the theme of finding the extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary – especially during the month of April, when spring has sprung, and signs of new life are all around us in this still-youthful season of the year. Here are three poems by Evaleen Stein (1863-1923) to celebrate April and the springtime.

 

“Dandelion”

 

Hey-a-day-a-day, my dear!

Dandelion time!

Come, and let us make for them

A pretty little rhyme!

See the meadows twinkling now,

Beautiful and bright

As the sky when through the blue

Shine the stars at night!

Once upon a time, folks say,

Mighty kings of old

Met upon a splendid field

Called “The Cloth of Gold.”

But, we wonder, could it be

There was ever seen

Brighter gold than glitters now

In our meadows green?

Dandelions, dandelions,

Shining through the dew,

Let the kings have Cloth of Gold,

But let us have you!

 

“Budding-Time Too Brief”

 

O little buds, break not so fast!
The spring's but new.
The skies will yet be brighter blue,
And sunny too.
I would you might thus sweetly last
Till this glad season's overpast,
Nor hasten through.

It is so exquisite to feel
The light warm sun;
To merely know the winter done,
And life begun;
And to my heart no blooms appeal
For tenderness so deep and real,
As any one

Of these first April buds, that hold
The hint of spring's
Rare perfectness that May-time brings.
So take not wings!
Oh, linger, linger, nor unfold
Too swiftly though the mellow mould,
Sweet growing things!

And errant birds, and honey-bees,
Seek not to wile;
And, sun, let not your warmest smile
Quite yet beguile
The young peach-boughs and apple-trees
To trust their beauty to the breeze;
Wait yet awhile!

 

“Up, Little Ones!”

 

A robin redbreast, fluting there
Upon the apple-bough,
Is telling all the world how fair
Are apple-blossoms now;
The honey-dew its sweetness spills
From cuckoo-cups, and all
The crocuses and daffodils
Are dressed for festival!

Such pretty things are to be seen,
Such pleasant things to do,
The April Earth it is so green,
The April sky so blue,
The path from dawn to even-song
So joyous is to-day,
Up, little ones! And dance along
The lilac-scented way!

 

Until next time –

Rob