Like emeralds melted by his ray,
So softly bright, so gently warm—
O lovely May! O long'd-for May!
That thou canst trust thy tender form.
And lo! the ladies of the hill,
The rippling stream, and sparkling rill,
With rival speed, and like good will,
Come, bearing down the mountain's side
The liquid crystals of the tide,
In vitreous vessels, clear as they,
And cry, from each worn, winding path-
O lovely May! O long'd-for May!
We come to lead thee to the bath.
And we have fashioned, for thy sake,
Mirrors more bright than art could make-
The silvery-sheeted mountain lake
Hangs in its carved frame of rocks,
Wherein to dress thy dripping locks,
Or bind the dewy curls that stray
Thy trembling breast meandering down-
O lovely May! O long'd-for May!
Within their own self-woven crown.
Arise, O May arise and see
Thine emerald robes are held for thee
By many a hundred-handed tree,
Who lift from all the fields around
The verdurous velvet from the ground,
And then the spotless vestments lay,
Smooth-folded o'er their outstretch'd arms-
O lovely May! O long'd-for May!
Wherein to fold thy virgin charms.
Thy robes are stiff with golden bees,
Dotted with gems more bright than these,
And scented by each perfumed breeze
That, blown from Heaven's re-open'd bowers,
Become the souls of new-born flowers,
Who thus their sacred birth betray;
Heavenly thou art, nor less should be,
O lovely May! O long'd-for May!
The favour'd forms that wait on thee.
The moss to guard thy feet is spread,
The wreaths are woven for thy head,
The rosy curtains of thy bed
Become transparent in the blaze
Of the strong sun's resistless gaze;
Then, lady, make no more delay,
The world still lives, though Spring be dead:
O lovely May! O long'd-for May!
And thou must rule and reign instead,
The lady from her bed arose,
Her bed the leaves the moss-bud blows,
Herself a lily in that rose;
The maidens of the streams and sands
Bathe some her feet, and some her hands;
And some the emerald robes display;
Her dewy locks were then upcurled,
And lovely May-the long'd-for May
Was crown'd the queen of all the world!
Welcome May! welcome May!
Thou hast been too long away,
All the widow'd wintry hours
Wept for thee, gentle May;
But the fault was only ours-
We were sad when thou wert gay!
Welcome May! welcome May!
We are wiser far to-day
Fonder, too, than we were then.
Gentle May! joyous May!
Now that thou art come again
We perchance may make thee stay.
Welcome May! welcome May!
Every thing kept holiday
Save the human heart alone.
Mirthful May! gladsome May!
We had cares and thou hadst none
When thou camest last this way!
When thou camest last this way
Blossoms bloomed on every spray
Buds on barren boughs were born
Fertile May! fruitful May:
Like the rose upon the thorn
Cannot grief awhile be gay?
'Tis not for the golden ray,
Or the flowers that strew thy way;
O, immortal One! thou art
Here to-day, gentle May,
'Tis to man's ungrateful heart That thy fairy footsteps stray.
"Tis to give that living clay
Flowers that ne'er can fade away-
Fond remembrances of bliss ;
And a foretaste, mystic May,
Of the life that follows this,
Full of joys that last alway!
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