ARBOR DAY.
Joaquin Miller
gainst our golden orient dawns - We lift a living light to-day,
- That shall outshine the splendid bronze
- That lords and lights that lesser Bay.
- Sweet Paradise was sown with trees;
- Thy very name, lorn Nazareth,
- Means woods, means sense of birds and bees,
- And song of leaves with lisping breath.
- God gave us Mother Earth, full blest
- With robes of green in healthful fold;
- We tore the green robes from her breast!
- We sold our mother's robes for gold!
- We sold her garments fair, and she
- Lies shamed and naked at our feet!
- In penitence we plant a tree;
- We plant the cross and count it meet.
- Lo, here, where Balboa's waters toss,
- Here in this glorious Spanish bay,
- We plant the cross, the Christian cross,
- The Crusade Cross of Arbor Day.