The clouds that yesterday did hide the sun
Be all a-blown aside
And in the light, no longer dim
Do shine the ivy that to climb
The tower's side, the elm's stem
And holly bushes in between
The leafless thorns be bright and green
To sunshine the winter
The trees that yesterday did twist
In winds a-driving rain and mist
Do now throw shades out long and still
And roaring waterfalls to fill
Their whirling pools below the hill
Where with a foot upon the stile
The rambling couple pause to smile
At sunshine in the winter
The birds do shake with playsome skips
The raindrops off the bushes' tips
A-chirruping with merry sound
While down below upon the ground
The wind do wirdle round and round
So softly that the day do seem
More like a summer in a dream
Than sunshine in the winter
The old folks now do meet abroad
To tell of winters long-since thawed
When snow were long upon the ground
Or floods broke all the bridges down
Or wind unhealed a half the town
The tales of old times long agone
But ever dear to think upon
The sunshine of their winter
For now to they no brook can run
No hill can face the winter sun
No leaves can fall, no flowers can fade
No snow can hide the grasses' blade
No frost can whiten in the shade
No day can come but what do bring
To mind again their early spring
That's now a-turned to winter.