APRIL DANCE-SONG

By Frederic Manning

April with her fleet, sweet,

Silver rain, and sun-rays,

Cometh, and her feet beat

Lightly, on the lawn.

Softly, for her sake, break

Flowering the wet boughs;

By the brimming lake, wake

Lilies every dawn.

Broken on the stream, gleam

Rays, to drown where weeds wave;

Shining with her dream, seem

April's eyes bedewed.

Shakes a silver chain, rain

Chiming with her music;

Life, that long hath lain slain

Riseth up renewed.

Softly as a dove, Love

Croons beneath the twilight;

While the winds above move

Softly through the night.

Out of all the skies, dies

Light, and only stars shine:

Stars to me her wise eyes,

And her face a light.