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Spring Has Come
There is something refreshing about seeing the first signs of spring after a long winter. A small flower pushing through the ground, buds beginning to appear on the trees, and warmer sunshine can lift our spirits and remind us that a new season has arrived.
In Spring Has Come, Oliver Wendell Holmes captures these changes beautifully. Rather than simply telling us that spring is here, he takes us outdoors to notice the snowdrops, tulips, crocuses, hyacinths, willows, elms, violets, and lilacs that gradually bring color and life back to the landscape.
What I especially like about this poem is how it reminds us that spring does not arrive all at once. One small sign appears, then another, until suddenly we realize how much the world around us has changed. It is much the same with new beginnings in our own lives. Sometimes change begins quietly before we can see just how much progress has been made.
May this poem encourage you to slow down and notice the signs of spring around you. There is beauty in watching nature begin again, and perhaps a reminder for us as well that every season eventually changes and new growth can come.
Updated September 28, 2026, by Catherine Pulsifer.
Spring Has Come
Poet: Oliver Wendell Holmes
The sunbeams, lost for half a year,
Slant through my pane their morning rays;
For dry northwesters cold and clear.
The east blows in its thin blue haze.
And first the snowdrop's bells are seen.
Then close against the sheltering wall
The tulip's horn of dusky green,
The peony's dark unfolding ball.
The golden-chaliced crocus burns;
The long narcissus-blades appear;
The cone-beaked hyacinth returns
To light her blue-flamed chandelier.
The willow's whistling lashes, wrung
By the wild winds of gusty March,
With sallow leaflets lightly strung,
Are swaying by the tufted larch.
The elms have robed their slender spray,
With full-blown flower and embryo leaf;
Wide o'er the clasping arch of day
Soars like a cloud their hoary chief.
See the proud tulip's flaunting cup,
That flames in glory for an hour, -
Behold it withering, - then look up, -
How meek the forest monarch's flower!
When wake the violets. Winter dies;
When sprout the elm-buds. Spring is near;
When lilacs blossom, Summer cries
"Bud, little roses! Spring is here!"
The windows blush with fresh bouquets,
Cut with the May-dew on their lips;
The radish all its bloom displays,
Pink as Aurora's finger-tips.
Nor less the flood of light that showers
On beauty's changed corolla-shades, -
The walks are gay as bridal bowers
With rows of many petalled maids.
Key Reflections In This Poem
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Spring Arrives One Sign At A Time
The season does not seem to change in a single moment. Holmes shows us one flower, bud, and tree after another, reminding us that even small signs can tell us something new is beginning.
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Nature Begins Again
After the cold and stillness of winter, flowers bloom and trees begin to awaken. Spring reminds us that a season that appears quiet or lifeless can still be followed by fresh growth.
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Notice The Beauty Around You
Holmes pays attention to details that could easily be overlooked, from the snowdrop's bells to the colors of the crocus and hyacinth. His words encourage us to slow down and appreciate the simple beauty nature gives us.
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Every Season Brings Change
Winter fades into spring, while the blooming lilacs already point toward summer. The poem reminds us that no season lasts forever and that change is a natural part of both nature and life.
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New Beginnings Bring Hope
The return of flowers, sunlight, and color gives the poem a feeling of renewal. Spring can remind us that after a difficult or quiet season, there can still be opportunities to begin again.
Popular Pages
Enjoy more poems and quotes inspired by sunshine, flowers, changing seasons, and the beauty we find in nature.
Let the warmth and brightness of these Sunshine Poems remind you how a little light can brighten both the landscape and our outlook.
Celebrate fresh starts, warmer days, and the beauty of the season with these encouraging Spring Quotes.
The gusty winds of March play a part in Holmes' changing landscape, and these Poems About The Wind offer more reflections on its sound, strength, and movement.
As spring gradually gives way to another season, these Summer Poems celebrate the sunshine, warmth, and beauty of the days ahead.
Enjoy the flowers and warmer days of spring in full bloom with these May Poems about this beautiful time of year.
Holmes fills his verses with blossoms of many kinds, making this Flower Poem another fitting read for anyone who enjoys the beauty and meaning we find in flowers.
For another poem inspired by observing the world around us, read The Question and reflect on the thoughts that nature can bring to mind.
Conclusion
Spring Has Come reminds us how much beauty can be found when we take the time to notice the changing world around us. Holmes sees spring in the smallest details, from the first snowdrops and crocuses to the budding trees and blooming lilacs.
I think there is a lesson for us in the way spring arrives. Change may begin with something so small that we hardly notice it, but little by little the landscape becomes new again. The same can happen in our lives. A small step, a fresh outlook, or a new opportunity can be the beginning of something better.
May this poem encourage you to enjoy the simple gifts of spring and appreciate each new sign of life as it appears. And as nature begins again, may you also find renewed hope and gratitude for the season ahead.
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