4454570Opals — JuneOlive Custance

June

The Summer Spirit has brought back again
Her bright-hued butterflies and humming bees,
While blossoms fed with sun and silver rain

Lift up their buoyant heads beneath the trees
Whose boughs are swaying in the scented wind,
And sudden sunshine laps the laughing leas

In lucent glory by dusk leafage lined
Of woodland, where blithe bird songs thrill the air,
Dear red-lipped daisies in the grass enshrined.

How glad we are to see you gleaming there!
June's amorous breaths, flower fragrant round you flow. . . .
The gracious golden king-cups deem you fair!

. . . In shadow of bent branches, let us go
Down to the river side where rocks our boat
Beneath the whispering willows. I will row

And you shall steer . . . nay! rather let us float
Tide-taken past the patient marigolds
Whose dew filled cups to Phœbus' self remote

Are lifted up at Dawn. See! day unfolds
Her sunset robes refulgent in the West,
Night's heavy lids that Light's strong hand upholds
Droop low and hide the splendour. . . . Let us rest!