Henry Wadsworth Longfellow — To the Stork

Welcome, O Stork! that dost wing        &nbsp Thy flight from the far-away! Thou hast brought us the signs of Spring,        &nbsp Thou hast made our sad hearts gay. Descend, O Stork! descend        &nbsp Upon our roof to rest; In our ash-tree, O my friend,        &nbsp My darling, make thy nest. To thee, O Stork, I complain,        &nbsp O Stork, to thee I impart The thousand sorrows, the pain        &nbsp And aching of my heart. When thou away didst go,        &nbsp Away from this tree of ours, The withering winds did blow,        &nbsp And dried up all the flowers. Dark grew the brilliant sky,        &nbsp Cloudy and dark and drear; They were breaking the snow on high,        &nbsp And winter was drawing near. From Varaca's rocky wall,        &nbsp From the rock of Varaca unrolled, the snow came and covered all,        &nbsp And the green meadow was cold. O Stork, our garden with snow        &nbsp Was hidden away and lost, Mid the rose-trees that in it grow        &nbsp Were withered by snow and frost.