#live again

Whenever possible, Algy likes to spend a Sunday afternoon reading one of his poetry books in a quiet spot in his assistants' garden.

And on this particular Sunday, Algy chose to rest upon a thick carpet of green periwinkle, beneath the spreading, blossoming branches of a miniature early flowering ornamental cherry tree, which was blessed with what Algy considered to be the loveliest plant name of all… "Flight of the Butterflies".

Algy fluffed up his feathers, for the air was very chilly, with the wind in the north again, but the sunlight was bright, and as he opened the wee book which a kind friend had given him for his birthday, Algy heard the first skylark of the spring trilling overhead, as well as the twittering songs of several of the garden birds who were busy all around him.

Algy listened carefully as he read, for he was sure that the birds were singing very much the same refrain that Alfred, Lord Tennyson heard a thrush sing, nearly 200 years ago:

"Summer is coming, summer is coming. I know it, I know it, I know it. Light again, leaf again, life again, love again," Yes, my wild little Poet. Sing the new year in under the blue. Last year you sang it as gladly. "New, new, new, new"! Is it then so new That you should carol so madly? "Love again, song again, nest again, young again," Never a prophet so crazy! And hardly a daisy as yet, little friend, See, there is hardly a daisy. "Here again, here, here, here, happy year!" O warble unchidden, unbidden! Summer is coming, is coming, my dear, And all the winters are hidden.