University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
Earth's Voices

Transcripts from Nature, Sospitra, and Other Poems. By William Sharp
  
  
  
  

collapse section 
expand section 
  
expand section 
expand section 
  
expand section 
expand section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
expand section 
expand section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
expand section 
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 V. 
 VI. 
 VII. 
 VIII. 
 IX. 
 X. 
 XI. 
 XII. 
 XIII. 
 XIV. 
 XV. 
 XVI. 
 XVII. 
 XVIII. 
 XIX. 
 XX. 
 XXI. 
 XXII. 
 XXIII. 
 XXIV. 
 XXV. 
 XXVI. 
  

VIII. THE SONG OF FLOWERS.

What is a bird but a living flower?
A flower but the soul of some dead bird?
And what is a weed but the dying breath
Of a perjured word?

16

A flower is the soul of a singing-bird,
Its scent is the breath of an old-time song:
But a weed and a thorn spring forth each day
For a new-done wrong.
Dead souls of song-birds, thro' the green grass
Or deep in the midst of the golden grain,
In woodland valley, where hill-streams pass,
We flourish again.
We flowers are the joy of the whole wide earth,
Sweet nature's laughter and secret tears—
Whoso hearkens a bird in its spring-time mirth
The song of a flow'r-soul hears!