Spring, born in heaven ere many a springtime flown, [_Strophe_ 1. Dead spring that sawest on earth A babe of deathless birth, A flower of rosier flowerage than thine own, A glory of goodlier godhead; even this day, That floods the mist of February with May, And strikes death dead with sunlight, and the breath Whereby the deadly doers are done to death, They that in day's despite Would crown the imperial night, 10 And in deep hate of insubmissive spring Rethrone the royal winter for a king, This day that casts the days of darkness down Low as a broken crown, We call thee from the gulf of deeds and days, Deathless and dead, to hear us whom we praise.
A light of many lights about thine head, [_Antistrophe_ 1. Lights manifold and one, Stars molten in a sun, A sun of divers beams incorporated, 20 Compact of confluent aureoles, each more fair Than man, save only at highest of man, may wear, So didst thou rise, when this our grey-grown age Had trod two paces of his pilgrimage, Two paces through the gloom From his fierce father's tomb, Led by cross lights of lightnings, and the flame That burned in darkness round one darkling name; So didst thou rise, nor knewest thy glory, O thou Re-risen upon us now, 30 The glory given thee for a grace to give, And take the praise of all men's hearts that live.
First in the dewy ray [_Epode_ 1. Ere dawn be slain of day The fresh crowned lilies of discrowned kings' prime Sprang splendid as of old With moonlight-coloured gold And rays refract from the oldworld heaven of time; Pale with proud light of stars decreased 39 In westward wane reluctant from the conquering east.
But even between their golden olden bloom [_Str._ 2. Strange flowers of wildwood glory, With frost and moonshine hoary, Thrust up the new growths of their green-leaved gloom, Red buds of ballad blossom, where the dew Blushed as with bloodlike passion, and its hue Was as the life and love of hearts on flame, And fire from forth of each live chalice came: Young sprays of elder song, Stem straight and petal strong, 50 Bright foliage with dark frondage overlaid, And light the lovelier for its lordlier shade; And morn and even made loud in woodland lone With cheer of clarions blown, And through the tournay's clash and clarion's cheer Laugh to laugh echoing, tear washed off by tear.