May-Day! delightful day! May Day! delightful day! Bright colours play the vale along. Bright colours play the vales along. Now wakes at morning's slender ray Now wakes at morning's slender ray, Wild and gay the blackbird's song. Wild and gay, the blackbird's song. Now comes the bird of dusty hue, The loud cuckoo, the summer-lover; Now comes the bird of dusty hue, Branching trees are thick with leaves; The loud cuckoo, the summer-lover; The bitter, evil time is over. Branchy trees are thick with leaves; Swift horses gather nigh The bitter, evil time is over. Where half dry the river goes; Tufted heather crowns the height; Weak and white the bogdown blows. Swift horses gather nigh Corncrake sings from eve till morn, Where half dry the river goes; Deep in corn, a strenuous bard! Tufted heather clothes the height; Sings the virgin waterfall, Weak and white the bogdown blows. White and tall, her one sweet word. Corncrake sings from eve to morn, Loaded bees of little power Deep in corn, a strenuous bard! Goodly flower-harvest win; Sings the virgin waterfall, Cattle roam with muddy flanks; White and tall, her one sweet word. Busy ants go out and in. Through the wild harp of the wood Making music roars the gale- Loaded bees with puny power Now it slumbers without motion, Goodly flower-harvest win; On the ocean sleeps the sail. Cattle roam with muddy flanks; Men grow mighty in the May, Busy ants go out and in. Proud and gay the maidens grow; Fair is every wooded height, Fair and bright the plain below. Through the wild harp of the wood A bright shaft has smit the streams, Making music roars the gale - With gold gleams the water-flag; Now it settles without motion, Leaps the fish, and on the hills On the ocean sleeps the sail. Ardour thrills the flying stag; And you long to reach the courses Where the slim swift horses race, Men grow mighty in the May, And the crowd is ranked applauding Proud and gay the maidens grow; Deep about the meeting-place. Fair is every wooded height; Carols loud the lark on high, Fair and bright the plain below. Small and shy, his tireless lay, Singing in wildest, merriest mood Of delicate-hued, delightful May. A bright shaft has smit the streams, With gold gleams the water-flag; Leaps the fish, and on the hills Ardour thrills the leaping stag. Loudly carols the lark on high, Small and shy, his tireless lay. Singing in wildest, merriest mood, Delicate-hued, delightful May. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THIRD YPRES by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN WRITTEN WITH A PENCIL AT KENMORE, TAYMOUTH by ROBERT BURNS A MYSTERY by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON VERSES: THE THIRD BOY by JOHN BYROM WINTER CHURNING IN VERMONT by DANIEL LEAVENS CADY |