The Hill Maples

Here on a hill of the occident stand we shoulder to shoulder, Comrades tried and true through a mighty swath of the years! Spring harps glad laughter through us, and ministrant rains of the autumn Sing us again the songs of ancient dolor and tears. The glory of sunrise smites on our fair, free brows uplifted When the silver-kirtled day steps over the twilight's bars; At evening we look adown into valleys hearted with sunset, And we whisper old lore together under the smouldering stars. Crescent moons of the summer gleam through our swaying branches, Knee-deep in fern we stand while the days of the sun-time go; And the winds of winter love us­the keen, gay winds of the winter, Coming to our gray arms from over the plains of snow. Down in the valleys beneath us is wooing and winning and wedding, Down in the long, dim valleys earth-children wail and weep; But here on these free hills we grow and are strong and flourish, Comrades shoulder to shoulder our watch of the years to keep.