When God made woman Fair He made her, as the rose; Her face upturned to catch His radiant smile; His sunbeams lurked the while About her lips; with care He chose Her hair and glory, and her round white throat, The pillared keeper of her woman's note. God filled her eyes with innocence and love, And glimpsing lights from out His skies above. The Father knew that she was beautiful. And yet, to make her nobly dutiful To Him, within her breast He set a shrine, all holy and possessed In shining mystery. And few who know To enter in. The evading flame aglow That fills the shrine, is white as unshed snow. And deep within that casket of her breast Are secret joys, to God alone confessed. Christmas White the weather, white the weather! Stars and ice at one together, Shining frost on cracking branches, Snow in pale smooth avalanches. White the weather, wintry weather. Wan the way, where once the heather Bloomed in radiant summer weather, Sparkling icicles moon-lustred Droop, where once the green leaves clustered. Life is sleeping, held in tether. Once a Babe was born this weather, Three Wise Men set forth together; Once a Star of wondrous glory Told the Christ's triumphant story. Wintry weather!--God's own weather! All the world washed white together! February I do not sing for youth and love, For passion and desire, I only sing because the sun Is gold like shining fire; I only sing because the day Is blue, the grass is green, The birds are singing out their hearts, The waking twigs between! Because the chestnut branch is tipped With buds of folded brown, Because the snowdrops look so white, The catkins feather down, Because the naked elms have bent To whisper me this thing-- The sap is stirring in their limbs-- How can I choose, but sing! Oh! 'Tis May Come and idle in the sun, Come and idle, everyone, Flowering May Is wholly gay, Come and idle in the sun. Come and smell the new-mown lawn, Fragrant grass, and dew-wet dawn. Buds unfold, And leaves grown bold Spread great shadows on the lawn. Come and hear the chaffinch trill, Hear the lark and thrushes thrill! Come along, _Such_ a song, Such a chorus bright and shrill. _Won't_ you come? Hear the hum, Hear the hum of tireless bee. Come with me, Wilt not idle for a day? Wilt not shirk Thy waste of work? _This_ is life, this radiant play Nature keeps for flowering May. Buds and bees and grass and flower Make a sweeter, holier hour Than all drab years of labour dour. Come away, Come and play, Come and glory in the sun, Come and laugh! Come, everyone.