Ode on the Spring

[Nice Goat]

Ode on the Spring
By Thomas Gray

Lo! where the rosy-bosom'd Hours,
Fair Venus' train appear,
Disclose the long-expecting flowers,
And wake the purple year!
The Attic warbler pours her throat,
Responsive to the cuckoo's note,
The untaught harmony of spring:
While whisp'ring pleasure as they fly,
Cool zephyrs thro' the clear blue sky
Their gather'd fragrance fling.



Where'er the oak's thick branches stretch
A broader, browner shade;
Where'er the rude and moss-grown beech
O'er-canopies the glade,
Beside some water's rushy brink
With me the Muse shall sit, and think
At ease reclin'd in rustic state
How vain the ardour of the crowd,
How low, how little are the proud,
How indigent the great!



Still is the toiling hand of Care:
The panting herds repose:
Yet hark, how thro' the peopled air
The busy murmur glows!
The insect youth are on the wing,
Eager to taste the honied spring,
And float amid the liquid noon:
Some lightly o'er the current skim,
Some show their gaily-gilded trim
Quick-glancing to the sun.



To Contemplation's sober eye
Such is the race of man:
And they that creep, and they that fly,
Shall end where they began.
Alike the busy and the gay
But flutter thro' life's little day,
In fortune's varying colours drest:
Brush'd by the hand of rough Mischance,
Or chill'd by age, their airy dance
They leave, in dust to rest.



Methinks I hear in accents low
The sportive kind reply:
Poor moralist! and what art thou?
A solitary fly!
Thy joys no glitt'ring female meets,
No hive hast thou of hoarded sweets,
No painted plumage to display:
On hasty wings thy youth is flown;
Thy sun is set, thy spring is gone—
We frolic, while 'tis May.

[Chitza]

Very nice interpretation, Glenn. I like the originality of this post. Thank you!

[Nice Goat]

Work has been "plentiful" the last few months, so much so that we had to work this morning.  We started early and thankfully finished just before lunch.  Afterwards, I had planned to take my daughter out for another driving lesson, so I called to let her know that I was on my way home.  Before she finished telling me that she preferred to stay home and watch anime (アニメ), my mind had already formed a riding plan.  Within just a few minutes of arriving home, I was already pulling out of the garage on my dual sport.

I took all back roads from Vinemont to Battleground and into Bankhead National Forest.  I rode Leola Road, then past Flint Creek (still closed), Owl Creek Campground, and Brushy Campground.  I visited the Hurricane Creek shooting range, then went north on 33 to Co. Rd. 9 and the Wildlife Management station.  Turned right on Mountain Springs Rd and ended up at Hand's Grocery in Youngtown ... now under new management ... with sandwiches!  Continued around to the southwest and completed the loop.  Took 278 back to Cullman.  Overall completed two photo tags and rode 145 miles. 

Do I need to mention that the stock seat is still on the bike?  Reminds me of the bear hunter joke... "You're not in this for the hunting, are you?"

Controlled burn in progress:



Pine Torch Church was open ... first time I'd seen the inside of it.



Shooting range:



Swimming hole:



Interesting cemetery:



Hand's Grocery:



Youngtown History:



Track Map:

[Guidedawg]

Beautiful pics.  The images evoke springtime for me a bit better than the text  :D

[kylepeterson]

thank you for the words, pictures, and map.

spring has sprung!!!