Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. V. Browning to Rupert Brooke

Aubrey Thomas de Vere (1814–1902)

Extracts from May Carols: ‘A sudden sun-burst in the woods’

III. 4

A SUDDEN sun-burst in the woods

But late sad Winter’s palace dim!

O’er quickening boughs and bursting buds

Pacific glories shoot and swim.

As when some heart, grief-darkened long,

Conclusive joy by force invades,

So swift the new-born splendours throng;

Such lustre swallows up the shades.

The sun we see not; but his fires

From stem to stem obliquely smite

Till all the forest aisle respires

The golden-tongued and myriad light:

The caverns blacken as their brows

With floral fire are fringed: but all

Yon sombre vault of meeting boughs

Turns to a golden fleece its pall,

As o’er it breeze-like music rolls:

O Spring, thy limit-line is crossed!

O Earth, some orb of singing Souls

Brings down to thee thy Pentecost!