Sweethearts of the Year

            Sweetheart Spring

    Our Sweetheart, Spring, came softly,
    Her gliding hands were fire,
    Her lilac breath upon our cheeks
    Consumed us with desire.

    By her our God began to build,
    Began to sow and till.
    He laid foundations in our loves
    For every good and ill.
    We asked Him not for blessing,
    We asked Him not for pain -
    Still, to the just and unjust
    He sent His fire and rain.


            Sweetheart Summer

    We prayed not, yet she came to us,
    The silken, shining one,
    On Jacob's noble ladder
    Descended from the sun.
    She reached our town of Every Day,
    Our dry and dusty sod -
    We prayed not, yet she brought to us
    The misty wine of God.


            Sweetheart Autumn

    The woods were black and crimson,
    The frost-bit flowers were dead,
    But Sweetheart Indian Summer came
    With love-winds round her head.
    While fruits God-given and splendid
    Belonged to her domain:
    Baskets of corn in perfect ear
    And grapes with purple stain,
    The treacherous winds persuaded her
    Spring Love was in the wood
    Altho' the end of love was hers -
    Fruition, Motherhood.


            Sweetheart Winter

    We had done naught of service
    To win our Maker's praise.
    Yet Sweetheart Winter came to us
    To gild our waning days.
    Down Jacob's winding ladder
    She came from Sunshine Town,
    Bearing the sparkling mornings
    And clouds of silver-brown;
    Bearing the seeds of Springtime.
    Upon her snowy seas
    Bearing the fairy star-flowers
    For baby Christmas trees.