The speaker is stuck in a grey, cold winter and dreaming of spring in the West Country. He imagines spring arriving at Maisemore as a sweet, lively visitor—full of birdsong, blue skies, and dancing steps—but also as a shy lady he may never actually meet. The mood is wistful and a little impatient: he can picture the white blossoming hedges and the crescent moon, and he even fantasizes about finding Spring asleep around a corner and seizing her so she has to give up all her joy. But that happy scene hasn’t happened yet. For now there is only winter’s bareness and shadowless cold. By the end, the speaker turns directly to Spring, begging her to come with her music and bright colours—blue, green, and gold—and embarrass winter’s hard wisdom with laughter and colour.
West Country — Summary
Spring comes soon to Maisemore And spring comes sweet, With bird-songs and blue skies, On gay dancing feet; But she is such a shy lady I fear we’ll never meet. Yet some day round a corner Where the hedge foams white, I’ll find Spring sleeping In the young-crescent night, And seize her and make her Yield all her delight. But yon’s a glad story That’s yet to be told. Here’s grey winter’s bareness And no-shadowed cold. O Spring, with your music, Your blue, green, and gold, Come shame his hard wisdom With laughter and gold!