The Lonely Garden

I WONDER what the trees will say,
The trees that used to share his play,
An' knew him as the little lad
Who used to wander with his dad.
They've watched him grow from year to year
Since first the good Lord sent him here;
This shag-bark hick'ry, many a time,
The little fellow tried t' climb;
An' never a spring has come but lie
Has called upon his favorite tree.
I wonder what they all will say
When they are told he's marched away.
I wonder what the birds will say,
I'lie swallow an' the chatterin' jay,
The robin an' the kildeer, too.
For every one o' them he knew,
An' every one o' them knew him,
Waited each spring t' tell him all
They'd done and seen since 'way last fall.
He was the first to greet 'em here
An' hoppin' there from limb t' limb,
As they returned from year t' year;
An' now I wonder what they'll say
When they are told he's marched away.
I wonder how the roses there
Will get along without his care,
An' how the one o' them will face
The loneliness about th' place,
For ev'ry spring an' summer he
Has been the chum o' plant an' tree,
An' every livin' thing has known
A comradeship that's finer grown
By havin' him from year t' year.
Now very soon they'll all be here,
An' I'm wonderin' what they'll say
When they find out he's marched away.