A riot of blooms 'neath radiant skies
Deep blue of faith and hope
And wealth of golden promise lies
On pristine garden slope.
Ah, who on brilliant carpet soft
Could hesitate to look aloft
From mountain sheltered Summer Land!
This nearest peak! Its ice torn height,
Its glacier river shore,
In wardship doth aid the night
To close the day's wide door.
These gentle shadows gray and deep
Fold all the petalled flowers in sleep
To wait the dawn in Summer Land.
Gay alpine sprites in castle towers,
Alert above the snows,
Send instant flash to friends and flowers
When morning trumpet blows.
What glow of gems, what glint of pearls
Each lavish mountain sunbeam hurls -
Awakened hours in Summer Land!
But, O, the heights up near the sun
Where snowy summits gleam!
How great the prize each friend has won,
Whose every distant dream
Will bring once more for inward gaze
The peak, the flower, empurpled days
In Rainier's glorious Summer Land!
Edmond S. Meany
Summerland - a beautiful sub-alpine meadow on the north east side of
Mount Rainier is one of the objectives of free hikes conducted by
government Ranger-Naturalists from Yakima Park.
