Patrick Regan has kindly shared the material from his George Heath site with readers of the Victorian Web, who may wish to consult the original.
Beautiful Spring! Beautiful Spring!
Coming again on the wandering wing,
Sunshine and beauty and pleasure to bring,
Gladly we welcome thee, beautiful Spring!
Virgin of purity, rapture is thine,
Bright is thy brow, as the lore of the mine,
Fair is thy cheek, as the flush of the rose,
Sweet is thy smile, as an infant's repose.
Robed with a mantle of gorgeous array,
Girded with tendrils of amaranths gay,
Jewelled with flowerets of every hue,
Frescoed with sunbeams and spangled with dew;
Hollow-cheeked sorrow and sadness and gloom
Vanish away to their wintry tomb;
Grief bows her fennel-crowned head to thy sway,
Time like a phantom glides swiftly away.
Genial laughter and frolicsome mirth!
Herald thy coming again upon earth,
Welcome thee back to thy throne in our bowers,
Queen of the empire of beauty and flowers.
Everything lofty and noble, or grand,
Wakes into life at the wave of thy wand;
Earth dons her mantle of radiant sheen,
Azure and purple and scarlet and green.
Hedgerows and forests burst out into bloom,
Flowers load the air with delicious perfume;
Winds hail thy coming with boisterous cheers,
Clouds in their gladness gush out into tears.
Birds sing thy praises with jubilant voice,
Trees clap their broad waving hands and rejoice,
Lambkins and fledglings the chorus prolong,
Streamlets gush out into rapturous song.
Mortals enamoured bow down at thy shrine,
Painters pourtray thee a goddess divine,
Poets, the landmarks of every clime,
Praise and extol thee in epic sublime.
Everything radiant, rapturous, bright,
Hails thy approach with a shout of delight,
Welcomes thee back with a jubilant ring,
Radiant, sunny-eyed, beautiful Spring!
Last modified 3 September 2002