The Wake Robin
by John Burroughs
When leaves green and hardy
From sleep have just uncurled —
Spring is so tardy
In this part of the world —
There comes a white flower forth,
Opens its eyes,
Looks out upon the earth,
In drowsy surprise.
A fair and pleasant vision
The nodding blossoms make;
And the flower's name and mission
Is "Wake, robin, wake!”
But you're late, my lady,
You have not earned your name;
Robin's up already,
Long before you came.
You trusted the sun's glances,
To rouse you from your naps;
Or the brook that near you dances
At spring's approach, perhaps;
Your chamber was too shady,
The drooping trees among;
Robin's up already,
Don't you hear his song?
There he sits, swinging, ‘
In his brown and scarlet cloak,
His notes like laughter ringing;
'Tis plain he sees the joke.
"Accidents will happen,”
Laughs robin loud and clear;
" If you think to catch me napping,
Wake earlier next year! "
Note:
To honor John Burrough's first book, Wake-Robin, I share this little-known poem by Rebecca Salsbury Palfrey Utter (Books by this author) called The Wake-Robin.
Rebecca was the wife of a Chicago minister named David Utter.
She was a selfless missionary who coined the term "Daughter of the King" in one of her more famous poems.
Rebecca was a descendant of Gene Williams Palfrey, who served with George Washington and was ambassador to France.
As featured onThe Daily Gardener podcast:
Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all.

