Heart of Spring!
O Heart of Spring!
Spirit of love and light and joyous day,
So soon to faint beneath the fiery Summer;
Still smiles the Earth, eager for thee alway;
Welcome art thou, soever short thy stay,
Thou bold, thou blithe newcomer!
Whither, oh whither this thy journeying,
O Heart of Spring!
O Heart of Spring!
After the stormy days of winters reign,
When the keen winds their last lamentare sighing,
The Sun shall raise thee up to life again.
In thy dim death thou shalt not suffer pain;
Surely thou dost not fear this quietdying?
Whither, or whither blithely journeying,
O Heart of Spring!
O Heart of Spring!
Youth's emblem, ancient as unchanging light,
Uncomprehended, unconsumed, still burning;
Oh, that we could, as thee, rise from the night
So find a world of blossoms lilac-white,
And long-winged swallows unafraid returning. . . .
Whither, oh whither, this thy journeying.
O Heart of Spring!
This work is in the public domain in Australia because it was created in Australia and the term of copyright has expired. According to Australian Copyright Council - Duration of Copyright, the following works are public domain:
- published non-government works whose author died before January 1, 1955,
- anonymous or pseudonymous works and photographs published before January 1, 1955, and
- government works published more than 50 years ago (before January 1, 1974).
This work is also in the public domain in the United States because it was first published outside the United States (and not published in the U.S. within 30 days), and it was first published before 1989 without complying with U.S. copyright formalities (renewal and/or copyright notice) and it was in the public domain in Australia on the URAA date (January 1, 1996). This is the combined effect of Australia having joined the Berne Convention in 1928, and of 17 USC 104A with its critical date of January 1, 1996.
Because the Australian copyright term in 1996 was 50 years, the critical date for copyright in the United States under the URAA is January 1, 1946.
This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1942, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 81 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse