Show TO SWALLOWS Thrice welcome swallows swift upon the wing Fleet H raids of bright days and coming mirth s When lavish summer from her lap shall ° lung Red rain of roses on the graceful earth I In days bygone men held your coming J f dear And deemed you childrens spirits from the dead Come back beloved and loving year by year Unto the homes whence first your souls had fled Ana as ye hovered round the rustic thatch Fend ears did listen to your twittering sweet Ears that had yearnedah many a time tp catch The well known patter of departed feet Resting upon his scythe the toilworn swain Would pause awhile to mark your wheeling wheel-ing riight And ilemrys ear was quick to catch again Your merry mingling shouls of mad delight de-light The mothers eyes grew moist as round each spot Endeared by tender ties ye circling flew It soothes her grief to think ye neer forgot for-got The once familiar scenes your childhood child-hood knew Twas there she mused their tiny hands did weave The fragrant cowslip ball the daisy chain Twiis there they wondering watched at silent eve The glowworm light his lantern in the lane Each night they sought their rest well 0 pleased to know Their darlings neath the thatch were nestling near Fond Love their lot did ease of half its 0 TVCIA And Sympathy aye sweetened Sorrows tear Then welcome swallows to my homely walls Tidings of comfort to our sires ye told And still to me your coming now recalls Like memories to those it brought of old For many a wellloved child my dreams hstve bred 0 Whom young Ambition did of Hope beget be-get And some are dying nowsome long since dead With you sweet birds return and greet me yet I Chambers Journal |