Spring and Autumn
When winter turns to spring,
Birds that were songless make their songs resound,
Flow’rs that were flow’rless cover all the ground;
Yet ’tis no perfect thing:—
I cannot walk, so tangled is each hill;
So thick the herbs I cannot pluck my fill.
But in the autumn-tide
I cull the scarlet leaves and love them dear,
And let the green leaves stay, with many a tear,
All on the fair hill-side:—
No time so sweet as that. Away! Away!
Autumn’s the time I fain would keep alway.
Ohogimi.