Wisteria.
How tenderly the twilight falls1
About our dear home’s flowery walls,2
Upon the garden bowers ;3
The breeze sighs over beds of bloom,4
My darling, leave the dusky room,5
Come out among the flowers.6
Come forth, my wife, and stand with me7
Beneath our favourite chestnut-tree—8
The glory of our lawn—9
Look up, dear heart, in skies afar,10
How softly beams the evening star—11
The garish sun is gone.12
How clearly from the coppice floats13
The brown bird’s strain—its magic notes14
Of joy and sorrow blent.15
How sweetly from the southern wall16
Delightsome odours round us fall,17
The rich wisteria’s scent.18
See, darling, in this tender gloom19
The clusters of its purple bloom20
Peep out amid the green ;21
A comely summer robe it weaves22
Of sturdy twigs and tender leaves,23
With splendid blooms between.24
How rich and full a life must beat25
In its green branches ! fair and sweet26
It flowered in the spring ;27
And yet, ere summer days are done,28
It spreadeth to the summer sun29
A second blossoming.30
It seemeth unto us a type31
Of love, spring-born, but summer-ripe,32
Full-hearted love like ours,33
That sweetly smiled on life’s young spring,34
Yet hath its fuller blossoming35
In these maturer hours.36
Our lives were like the spring-time boughs37
Of this old tree, which wreaths our house38
With purple twice a year,39
No leafage green of worldly praise,40
Or worldly wealth made glad our days,41
But lonely love was dear !42
Ah, darling! on this summer night43
Our hearts brimful with deep delight,44
We bless God as we stand45
Beneath His arch of twilight sky46
At rest, too glad to smile or sigh,47
The happiest in the land.48
Our tree of life is strong and full49
Of leafage verdant, beautiful,50
With blossoms in their prime,51
For love, like fair wisteria flowers,52
Brings, with full hands, to us and ours53
A second blossom-time.54