Lesson:

I. SPRING





By H.G. Adams





A bursting into greenness;


A waking as from sleep;


A twitter and a warble


That make the pulses leap:


A watching, as in childhood,


For the flowers that, one by one,


Open their golden petals


To woo the fitful sun.


A gust, a flash, a gurgle,


A wish to shout and sing,


As, filled with hope and gladness,


We hail the vernal Spring.





II. SUMMER





By Lowell





Now is the high tide of the year,


And whatever of life hath ebbed away


Comes flooding back with a ripply cheer,


Into every bare inlet and creek and bay.


We may shut our eyes, but we can not help knowing


That skies are clear and grass is growing;


The breeze comes whispering in our ear,


That dandelions are blossoming near,


That maize has sprouted, that streams are flowing,


That the river is bluer than the sky,


That the robin is plastering his house hard by;


And if the breeze kept the good news back


For other couriers we should not lack;


We could guess it all by yon heifer's lowing,—


And hark! how clear bold chanticleer,


Warmed with the new wine of the year,


Tells all in his lusty crowing.





III. AUTUMN





By Thomas Hood





The autumn is old;


The sear leaves are flying;


He hath gathered up gold


And now he is dying:


Old age, begin sighing!


The year's in the wane;


There is nothing adorning;


The night has no eve,


And the day has no morning;


Cold winter gives warning.





IV. WINTER





By Charles T. Brooks





Now no plumed throng


Charms the wood with song;


Icebound trees are glittering;


Merry snowbirds, twittering,


Fondly strive to cheer


Scenes so cold and drear.


Winter, still I see


Many charms in thee,—


Love thy chilly greeting,


Snowstorms fiercely beating,


And the dear delights


Of the long, long nights.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR


H. G. Adams, an English writer, has compiled two volumes of poetical quotations, and is the author of several volumes of original poems.


The following is from the 'Story of the Seasons.'





DEFINITIONS


I. Petals: The colored leaves of flowers.


I. Vernal: Belonging to spring.


II. Ebbed: Flowed back, receded.


II. Courier: A messenger.


II. Lusty: Strong, vigorous, healthful.


II. Chanticleer: Rooster.


III. Sear: Dry, withered.


III. Wane: Decrease, decline.