<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">An April Song</h1><p class="byline"> GEORGE C. MICHAEL, LANCE CORPORAL, R. E. <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> (Written on leave at Stratford-on-Avon.)</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">ORCHARD land! Orchard land! </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Damson blossom, primrose bloom:</p><p class="line">Avon, like a silver band </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Winds from Stratford down to Broome: </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">All the orchards simmer white </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">For an April day's delight: </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">We have risen in our might, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Left this land we love, to light, </p><p class="line">Fighting still, that these may stand,</p><p class="line">Orchard land! Orchard land!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Running stream! Running stream!</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Ruddy tench and silver perch:</p><p class="line">Shakespeare loved the water's gleam </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Sparkling on by Welford church: </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Water lay meets woodland gnome </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Where the silver eddies foam </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Thro' the richly scented loam: </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">We are fain to see our home, </p><p class="line">See again thy silver gleam,</p><p class="line">Running stream! Running stream!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Silver throats! Silver throats!</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Piping blackbird, trilling thrush:</p><p class="line">Shakespeare heard your merry notes;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Still you herald morning's blush: </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">You shall sing your anthems grand </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">When we've finished what He planned. </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">God will hear and understand. </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">God will give us back our land </p><p class="line">Where the water-lily floats,</p><p class="line">Silver throats! Silver throats! </p></div></body></html> · Great War