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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 5, Issue 4 (August 1, 1930)

The Augurs of August

The Augurs of August.

Despite the high cost of giving and the daily “keep-onomy” I would remind you that spring is about to spring; that August augurs of Brussels sprouts and hustled shouts; that the earth is breaking into whispers and whiskers; the bird is on the wing and the onion on the spring.

page 13
“Dead silence is often safer than lively speech.”

“Dead silence is often safer than lively speech.”

In fact—
Half the world is blithely bounding,
Wayward worms their songs are sounding,
Whilst upon the turf they're pounding,
With their tails.
Slimy slugs are slowly slogging,
Season's seedlings dourly dogging,
Whilst the hedgehog goes a'hogging,
After snails.
Lilting larks are lightly larking,
Where the wary worms are parking,
Even trees their barks are barking,
Season's cheer.
Cats are clamorously calling,
Midnight melodies appalling,
Bird and beast and biped's bawling,
Spring is here.
Ev'ry little bud is budding,
Bouncing baby spuds are spudding,
Infant onions start their thudding
In a ring.
Brussels sprouts are spryly sprouting,
Touts upon the turf are touting,
Even Scots and Jews are “shouting”
It is Spring.

But if, doubting reader, in this august month of August, Spring fails to leap and the Blows have it, do not blame us, who merely accept the official version that Spring has registered in the visitor's book.