Sagas of Vaster Britain: Poems of the Race, the Empire and the Divinity of Man

by William Wilfred Campbell

 

DAWN IN THE JUNE WOODS

 
WHEN over the edge of night
    The stars pale one by one,
And out of his streams of light,
    Rising, the great red sun

Lifteth his splendours up
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    Over the hush of the world,
And, draining night's ebon cup,
    Leaveth some stars impearled

Still on its crystal rim,
    Fading like bubbles away,
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As out of their cloud-meadows dim,
    The dawn winds blow in this way:

Then, bathed in cool dewy wells,
    Old longings of life renew,
Till here in these morning dells
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    The dreamings of earth come true:

As up each sun-jewelled slope,
    Over the night-hallowed land,
Wonder and Beauty and Hope
    Walk silently hand in hand.
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