Grand Haven Daily Tribune  May 4, 1908

To Spring.

—

DAVID FLETCHER HUNTON.

—

Hail to thee, thou heaven-born maiden!

How we’ve wished to see thy face!

And to bask in all the glories

Of thy smiles and queenly grace;

Come in all thy old-time splendor,

And the sweetness of thy reign;

Wave thy wand above earth’s bosom,

And awake the flowers again.

Breathe upon the hills and valleys,

All the freshness of thy breath;

Till the souls of plant life quicken,

And come forth from seeming death!

Spread thy dainty vest of verdure,

O’er the grass, and spikes of fern;

And upon the lips of roses,

Let thy kisses glow and burn.

Touch the magic springs of nature,

All along thy Royal Way;

Till she sends up forms of beauty,

From her lap of rank decay;

Call the feather-throated songsters,

From the “sunny south” again;

Let them know the joys of wooing,

Neath the sunshine of thy reign.

Come, fair lady—paint the lilies,

In thy rarest, softest hue;

And upon the modest violet,

Spread thy choicest tint of blue;

Kiss the tresses of the maples,

Send the sap to leaf and vine;

Let the lips of opening petals

Bask beneath thy smiles divine!

Whisper sweet words to the daisies,

And the cowslips of the plain;

Tell the bees, that winter’s over,

And to try their wings again.

Of the sweet Arbutus, tarry

‘Neath the matted leaves o’erhead:

Lift the darling pink-white nurslings,

From their leafy melting bed!

On each rosy laughing petal,

Let thy sweetest smiles repose;

And among the golden anthers,

Drop the perfume of the Rose!

Call the hermit Whippoorwill,

From the deepest woodland shade;

We would gladly hear the music

Of his midnight serenade!

Grand Haven, Mich., April, A. D. 1908