Songs Out of Doors

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Title: Songs Out of Doors
Author: Henry Van Dyke
Release Date: November, 2005 [EBook #9372]?[This file was first posted on September 26, 2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
? START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, SONGS OUT OF DOORS ***
E-text prepared by Patricia Peters, Tonya Allen, and Project Gutenberg Distributed Proofreaders
SONGS OUT OF DOORS
BY
HENRY VAN DYKE
1923
CONTENTS
I
OF BIRDS AND FLOWERS
The Veery?The Song-Sparrow?The Maryland Yellow-Throat?The Whip-Poor-Will?Wings of a Dove?The Hermit Thrush?Sea-Gulls of Manhattan?The Ruby-Crowned Kinglet?The Angler's Reveille?A November Daisy?The Lily of Yorrow
II
OF SKIES AND SEASONS
If All the Skies?The After-Echo?Dulciora?Matins?The Parting and the Coming Guest?When Tulips Bloom?Spring in the North?Spring in the South?How Spring Comes to Shasta Jim?The First Bird o' Spring?A Bunch of Trout-Flies?A Noon-Song?Turn o' the Tide?Sierra Madre?School?Indian Summer?Light between the Trees?The Fall of the Leaves?Three Alpine Sonnets?A Snow-Song?Roslin and Hawthornden?The Heavenly Hills of Holland?Flood-Tide of Flowers?Salute to the Trees
III
OF THE UNFAILING LIGHT
The Grand Canyon?God of the Open Air
IV
WAYFARING PSALMS IN PALESTINE
The Distant Road?The Welcome Tent?The Great Cities?The Friendly Trees?The Pathway of Rivers?The Glory of Ruins?The Tribe of the Helpers?The Good Teacher?The Camp-Fires of My Friend
I
OF BIRDS AND FLOWERS
THE VEERY
The moonbeams over Arno's vale in silver flood were pouring, When first I heard the nightingale a long-lost love deploring. So passionate, so full of pain, it sounded strange and eerie; I longed to hear a simpler strain,--the woodnotes of the veery.
The laverock sings a bonny lay above the Scottish heather;?It sprinkles down from far away like light and love together; He drops the golden notes to greet his brooding mate, his dearie; I only know one song more sweet,--the vespers of the veery.
In English gardens, green and bright and full of fruity treasure, I heard the blackbird with delight repeat his merry measure: The ballad was a pleasant one, the tune was loud and cheery, And yet, with every setting sun, I listened for the veery.
But far away, and far away, the tawny thrush is singing;?New England woods, at close of day, with that clear chant are ringing: And when my light of life is low, and heart and flesh are weary, I fain would hear, before I go, the wood-notes of the veery.
1895.
THE SONG-SPARROW
There is a bird I know so well,?It seems as if he must have sung?Beside my crib when I was young;?Before I knew the way to spell?The name of even the smallest bird,?His gentle-joyful song I heard.?Now see if you can tell, my dear,?What bird it is that, every year,?Sings _"Sweet--sweet--sweet--very merry cheer."_
He comes in March, when winds are strong,?And snow returns to hide the earth;?But still he warms his heart with mirth,?And waits for May. He lingers long?While flowers fade; and every day?Repeats his small, contented lay;?As if to say, we need not fear?The season's change, if love is here?With _"Sweet--sweet--sweet--very merry cheer."_
He does not wear a Joseph's-coat?Of many colours, smart and gay;?His suit is Quaker brown and gray,?With darker patches at his throat.?And yet of all the well-dressed throng?Not one can sing so brave a song.?It makes the pride of looks appear?A vain and foolish thing, to hear?His _"Sweet--sweet--sweet--very merry cheer."_
A lofty place he does not love,?But sits by choice, and well at ease,?In hedges, and in little trees?That stretch their slender arms above?The meadow-brook; and there he sings?Till all the field with pleasure rings;?And so he tells in every ear,?That lowly homes to heaven are near?In _"Sweet--sweet--sweet--very merry cheer."_
I like the tune, I like the words;?They seem so true, so free from art,?So friendly, and so full of heart,?That if but one of all the birds?Could be my comrade everywhere,?My little brother of the air,?I'd choose the song-sparrow, my dear,?Because he'd bless me, every year,?With _"Sweet--sweet--sweet--very merry cheer."_
1895.
THE MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT
When May bedecks the naked trees?With tassels and embroideries,?And many blue-eyed violets beam?Along the edges of the stream,?I hear a voice that seems to say,?Now near at hand, now far away,?_"Witchery--witchery--witchery."_
An incantation so serene,?So innocent, befits the scene:?There's magic