Again the veld revives, Imbued2 with lyric3 rains, And sap re-sweetening dry stalks Perfumes the quickening4 plains; Small roots explode in strings of stars, 5 Each bulb gives up its dream, Honey drips from orchid throats, Jewels each raceme5; The desert sighs at dawn­— As in another hemisphere 10 The temple lotus6 breaks her buds On the attentive air— A frou-frou7 of new flowers, Puff of unruffling petals, While rods of sunlight strike pure streams 15 From rocks beveined with metals; Far in the gaunt karroo That winter earth denudes, Ironstone caves give back the burr8 Of lambs in multitudes; 20 Grass waves again where drought Bleached every upland kraal, A peach-tree shoots along the wind Pink volleys through a broken wall, And willows growing round the dam 25 May now be seen With all their traceries9 of twigs Just hesitating to be green, Soon to be hung with colonies All swaying with the leaves 30 Of pendent wicker love-nests The pretty loxia weaves.

Once more, the open grassland comes back to life, Filled with poetic rains, And the sap makes dry stalks sweet again, Filling the lively plains with fragrance; Tiny roots burst like stars, Each bulb releases its dream, Honey flows from the throats of orchids, Adorning each flower cluster with jewels; The desert breathes a sigh at dawn— Just like in another part of the world, The temple lotus opens its buds In the attentive air— A rustling sound of new flowers, A puff of petals smoothing out, As beams of sunlight hit clear streams From rocks lined with metals; Far in the barren semi-desert region That winter strips bare, Ironstone caves echo the sound Of many lambs; Grass sways again where drought Had bleached every upland kraal, A peach-tree sends pink bursts along the wind Through a broken wall, And willows around the dam Can now be seen With their intricate patterns of twigs Just starting to turn green, Soon to be covered with colonies All moving with the leaves Of hanging wicker love-nests That the pretty bird weaves.