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to butterflies in december.
Nay, do not beat those fragile wings
Against the pane;
Do ye not hear, ye beauteous things,
The wind and rain?
Against the pane;
Do ye not hear, ye beauteous things,
The wind and rain?
I cannot, dare not, set ye free
In such a storm;
Stay here, in safety, with me,—
This room is warm.
In such a storm;
Stay here, in safety, with me,—
This room is warm.
And tell me whence ye came, and why
In Winter's gloom,
Symbols of immortality,
Fresh from your tomb?
In Winter's gloom,
Symbols of immortality,
Fresh from your tomb?
Whose voice awoke ye from your trance
Invisible?
Was it the great Creator's glance
That broke the spell?
Invisible?
Was it the great Creator's glance
That broke the spell?
And do ye come at His command
To strengthen faith,
With promise of a Summer land,
Of life, not death?
To strengthen faith,
With promise of a Summer land,
Of life, not death?
We do not die, we only leave
With mother Earth
The husk in which Divinity doth weave
Our second birth.
With mother Earth
The husk in which Divinity doth weave
Our second birth.
Thus do I read the messages ye bring
In Winter's gloom,
Fair harbingers of an Eternal Spring,
Beyond the tomb.
In Winter's gloom,
Fair harbingers of an Eternal Spring,
Beyond the tomb.