| James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902. | | | | April 1 | | The First of April | | By Mortimer Collins (1827–1876) |
| | | NOW, if to be an April-fool | |
| Is to delight in the song of the thrush, | |
| To long for the swallow in air’s blue hollow, | |
| And the nightingale’s riotous music-gush, | |
| And to paint a vision of cities Elysian | 5 |
| Out away in the sunset-flush— | |
| Then I grasp my flagon and swear thereby, | |
| We are April-fools, my Love and I. | |
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| And if to be an April-fool | |
| Is to feel contempt for iron and gold, | 10 |
| For the shallow fame at which most men aim— | |
| And to turn from worldlings cruel and cold | |
| To God in His splendor, loving and tender, | |
| And to bask in His presence manifold— | |
| Then by all the stars in His infinite sky, | 15 |
| We are April-fools, my Love and I. | | | | |
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