The Flower Carol

Spring has now unwrapped the flowers,
Day is fast reviving,
Life in all her growing powers
Towards the light is striving:
Gone the iron touch of cold,
Winter time and frost time,
Seedlings, working through the mould,
Now make up for lost time.

Herb and plant that, winter long,
Slumbered at their leisure,
Now bestirring, green and strong,
Find in growth their pleasure:
All the world with beauty fills,
Gold the green enhancing;
Flowers make glee among the hills,
And set the meadows dancing.

Through each wonder of fair days
God himself expresses;
Beauty follows all his ways,
As the world he blesses:
So, as he renews the earth
Artist without rival,
In his grace of glad new birth
We must seek revival.

Earth puts on her dress of glee;
Flowers and grasses hide her;
We go forth in charity-
Brothers all beside her;
For, as man this glory sees
In the awakening season,
Reason learns the heart's decrees,
And hearts are led by reason.

Praise the Maker, all ye saints;
He with glory girt you,
He who skies and meadows paints
Fashioned all your virtue;
Praise him, seers, heroes, kings,
Heralds of perfection;
Brothers, praise him, for he brings
All to resurrection!

This is from one of my favorite book for Lent and Easter - The Easter Book of Legends and Stories selected by Alice Isabel Hazeltine and Elva Sophronia Smith - check your library or used book dealers - it has poems, stories and even a couple of small plays. A real treasure. The above was noted to be translated from the latin. Hmmm..could I find the latin? Yes
And it turns out that our selection for copywork and recitation can also be sung to the tune of "Good King Wenceslas"!