Hepaticas by Katherine E. Wallis

As a little girl Katherine Wallis loved to write rhymes and dreamed of becoming a poet one day. Being the daughter of James Wallis (Maryboro Lodge’s founder) she was born after he gave up on his Fenelon Falls ventures and moved onto become a Peterborough gentleman farmer and steamboat operator. From an early age Katherine showed remarkable talent at many arts, and moved on to Edinburgh and Paris, being best known as a sculptor. On the eve of the Second World War she moved on to Santa Cruz, California. At the age of 94, Katherine realized her childhood dream of publishing a book of poetry. Hepaticas is one of her most loved poems:

Wake, little downy buds!

Ope to the April skies!

Pink, blue and white,

Fill with delight

Snow-weary hearts and eyes;

Wake, little buds! Oh, wake!

Break, little silver cups;

Fill with your scented breath

Air, stream and earth,

Glad in new birth

After the winter’s death—

Break, little cups! Oh, break!

Make our first flower of spring

Joy in these fleeting days

Ere your trefoil

Close to the soil

Shield ye from summer’s rays—

Make joy, little flowers! Oh, make!