When after the Winter alarmin', The Spring steps in so charmin', So fresh and arch In the middle of March, Wid her hand St. Patrick's arm on...

These lines evoke the seasonal turning-point in Ireland when winter’s harshness gives way to the first charm of spring, timed to mid-March and the feast of St. Patrick (March 17). Graves writes in a deliberately Irish-inflected dialect (“alarmin’,” “wid”), aligning the natural renewal of spring with national and religious celebration. The image of Spring entering “with her hand St. Patrick’s arm on” personifies the season as a companion to Ireland’s patron saint, suggesting that cultural festivity and the land’s reawakening arrive together. The stanza’s jaunty rhythm and internal rhymes reinforce the sense of conviviality and public holiday cheer.