Sketches of Natural History | ||
103
THE GARDEN.
I had a Garden when a child;
I kept it all in order;
'Twas full of flowers as it could be,
And London-pride was its border.
I kept it all in order;
'Twas full of flowers as it could be,
And London-pride was its border.
And soon as came the pleasant Spring,
The singing birds built in it;
The Blackbird and the Throstle-cock,
The Woodlark and the Linnet.
The singing birds built in it;
The Blackbird and the Throstle-cock,
The Woodlark and the Linnet.
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And all within my Garden ran
A labyrinth-walk so mazy;
In the middle there grew a yellow Rose;
At each end a Michaelmas Daisy.
A labyrinth-walk so mazy;
In the middle there grew a yellow Rose;
At each end a Michaelmas Daisy.
I had a tree of Southern Wood,
And two of bright Mezereon;
A Peony root, a snow-white Phlox,
And a bunch of red Valerian;
And two of bright Mezereon;
A Peony root, a snow-white Phlox,
And a bunch of red Valerian;
A Lilac tree, and a Guelder-Rose;
A Broom, and a Tiger-lily;
And I walked a dozen miles to find
The true wild Daffodilly.
A Broom, and a Tiger-lily;
And I walked a dozen miles to find
The true wild Daffodilly.
I had Columbines, both pink and blue,
And Thalictrum like a feather;
And the bright Goat's-beard, that shuts its leaves
Before a change of weather.
And Thalictrum like a feather;
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Before a change of weather.
I had Marigolds, and Gilliflowers,
And Pinks all Pinks exceeding;
I'd a noble root of Love-in-a-mist,
And plenty of Love-lies-bleeding.
And Pinks all Pinks exceeding;
I'd a noble root of Love-in-a-mist,
And plenty of Love-lies-bleeding.
I'd Jacob's Ladder, Aaron's Rod,
And the Peacock-Gentianella;
I had Asters, more than I can tell,
And Lupins blue and yellow.
And the Peacock-Gentianella;
I had Asters, more than I can tell,
And Lupins blue and yellow.
I set a grain of Indian Corn,
One day in an idle humour,
And the grain sprung up six feet or more,
My glory for a summer.
One day in an idle humour,
And the grain sprung up six feet or more,
My glory for a summer.
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I found far off in the pleasant fields,
More flowers than I can mention;
I found the English Asphodel,
And the spring and autumn Gentian.
More flowers than I can mention;
I found the English Asphodel,
And the spring and autumn Gentian.
I found the Orchis, fly and bee,
And the Cistus of the mountain;
And the Money-wort, and the Adder's-tongue,
Beside an old wood fountain.
And the Cistus of the mountain;
And the Money-wort, and the Adder's-tongue,
Beside an old wood fountain.
I found within another wood,
The rare Pyrola blowing:
For wherever there was a curious flower
I was sure to find it growing.
The rare Pyrola blowing:
For wherever there was a curious flower
I was sure to find it growing.
I set them in my garden beds,
Those beds I loved so dearly,
Where I laboured after set of sun,
And in summer mornings early.
Those beds I loved so dearly,
Where I laboured after set of sun,
And in summer mornings early.
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O my pleasant garden-plot!—
A shrubbery was beside it,
And an old and mossy Apple-tree,
With a Woodbine wreathed to hide it.
A shrubbery was beside it,
And an old and mossy Apple-tree,
With a Woodbine wreathed to hide it.
There was a bower in my garden-plot,
A Spiræa grew before it;
Behind it was a Laburnum tree,
And a wild Hop clambered o'er it.
A Spiræa grew before it;
Behind it was a Laburnum tree,
And a wild Hop clambered o'er it.
Ofttimes I sat within my bower,
Like a king in all his glory;
Ofttimes I read, and read for hours,
Some pleasant, wondrous story.
Like a king in all his glory;
Ofttimes I read, and read for hours,
Some pleasant, wondrous story.
I read of Gardens in old times,
Old, stately Gardens, kingly,
Where people walked in gorgeous crowds,
Or for silent musing, singly.
Old, stately Gardens, kingly,
Where people walked in gorgeous crowds,
Or for silent musing, singly.
108
I raised up visions in my brain,
The noblest and the fairest;
But still I loved my Garden best,
And thought it far the rarest.
The noblest and the fairest;
But still I loved my Garden best,
And thought it far the rarest.
And all among my flowers I walked,
Like a miser mid his treasure;
For that pleasant plot of Garden ground
Was a world of endless pleasure.
Like a miser mid his treasure;
For that pleasant plot of Garden ground
Was a world of endless pleasure.
Sketches of Natural History | ||