Shadows (Howe)/The Field-day
YELLOW banner first was seenWhere every willow stood,Long, long before a hint of green Had touched the hillside wood.
THE FIELD-DAY
YELLOW banner first was seenWhere every willow stood,Long, long before a hint of green Had touched the hillside wood.Then, as if autumn had come back, A glow of red returnedTo all the maple branches black, Whereon a dark fire burned.
"Form, companies and regiments;" 'Twas this the signals said;Full well the trees knew why and whence The royal mandate sped.
The marching orders of the year Had come to them at last;The field-day of the spring was near, The winter bivouac past.
In suits of green they decked them out, Like Robin Hood's brave band; The May winds rallied with a shout, The warm sun lit the land.
The orchard trees must lead the van With banners pink and white;And so they gathered clan by clan, And formed their lines aright.
Then was the great commander heard, And the order came to march;And music fell from every bird Beneath the heavens' high arch.
From street and lane and park and field, From road and hill and shore,The great green army wound and wheeled Across the world once more.