Illustrated poem page. A boy and a girl sit on the ground next to a small stream.
The boy plays with a stick and the girl
holds her hands in her lap. There are sheep, a small feeding trough, and a fence on
the other side of the stream. Tall trees grow
beyond the fence and adjacent to the stream. There are plants and twigs in the foreground.
The poem text is let in to a blank
rectangular space in the top-right corner of the illustration. Full page.
The Bugle Notes
of Spring.
Now Winter, on his ice-bound car,1
Is rattling north, o’er crag and scar ;2
The thrush and blackbird cheery sing, 3
Blowing the bugle notes of spring —4
Saying, “ Coming ! coming ! Coming !5
The spring is coming, man, to thee ! ” 6
I’ve heard for many a year, ah me !7
Those bugle notes so wild and free ;8
And tho’ each year its winkle throws, 9
That music aye the sweeter grows, 10
Saying, “ Coming ! coming ! coming !11
Perennial youth I bring with me.”12
The celandine’s bright cup of gold13
Is nestling by the brooklet cold ;14
The coltsfoot to the warming days15
Is streaming back its yellow rays ;—16
Saying, “ Coming ! coming ! coming !17
Sweet Flora cometh, fair to see.”18
The chestnut bursts its shining hoods, 19
The poplar scents the leafing woods, 20
Where, cheerfully, among the boughs, 21
The birds are warbling tender vows,22
Saying, “ Coming ? coming ? coming ?23
And spend the summer, wild and free.”24
And my dull muse it fain would sing25
Of the bonnie bugle notes of spring :—26
“ O blackbird, in thy ecstasy,27
Chant thy loud clarion cheerily !28
While humming ! humming ! humming !29
The woods repeat thy song for me.”30