Shadows (Howe)/The Field-day

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THE FIELD-DAY
A YELLOW banner first was seen
Where every willow stood,
Long, long before a hint of green
 Had touched the hillside wood.

Then, as if autumn had come back,
 A glow of red returned
To all the maple branches black,
 Whereon a dark fire burned.

"Form, companies and regiments;"
 'Twas this the signals said;
Full well the trees knew why and whence
 The royal mandate sped.

The marching orders of the year
 Had come to them at last;
The field-day of the spring was near,
 The winter bivouac past.

In suits of green they decked them out,
 Like Robin Hood's brave band;
 ​The May winds rallied with a shout,
 The warm sun lit the land.

The orchard trees must lead the van
 With banners pink and white;
And so they gathered clan by clan,
 And formed their lines aright.

Then was the great commander heard,
 And the order came to march;
And music fell from every bird
 Beneath the heavens' high arch.

From street and lane and park and field,
 From road and hill and shore,
The great green army wound and wheeled
 Across the world once more.

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