University of Virginia Library


48

ENVY.

In a flower garden beautiful and tall,
Stood a bloomed lily above them all;
The lily was slender made,
Yet a humming bird stooped for shade.
Evening came, it had its rest,
Saying, “In this blossom I'll build my nest;
In this blossom my love will lie,
And I will dwell here till I die.”
Another bird saw him content;
Asked to build, she gave consent.
So on one blossom build them all;
Blown by a zephyr it breaks and falls.
The mother bird returned and found
Her nest and blossom on the ground.
To the heart of a maiden tender and sweet,
The heart of a lover went forth to meet;
To another lover the maid seemed sweet,
By the maid's consent he leaps to meet;
To one sweetheart clings them all,
They were too many and had to fall.
The loving maid turned around
And found the lovers upon the ground.