Hagar | ||
THE FLOWER SPIRIT.
Spring has come—the birds are trilling
Joyous notes of glee;
Flowers are springing in the woodland,
Leaf-buds on the tree.
Joyous notes of glee;
Flowers are springing in the woodland,
Leaf-buds on the tree.
Birds are singing hymns of praises,
Flowers too look up;
Deem ye not a smile of gladness
Wreathes each tiny cup?
Flowers too look up;
Deem ye not a smile of gladness
Wreathes each tiny cup?
Deem ye not a subtle perfume
Lieth in each cell,
Which ascendeth, though to mortal
Made invisible!
Lieth in each cell,
Which ascendeth, though to mortal
Made invisible!
I have bent o'er violet lowly,
Gazed on each blue line
Full of thought, till it seemed holy,
Something half divine.
Gazed on each blue line
Full of thought, till it seemed holy,
Something half divine.
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Hue of Heaven! it seemed telling,
Of some purer clime,
Where the spirit of the flower,
Should be known by mine.
Of some purer clime,
Where the spirit of the flower,
Should be known by mine.
Smile not, call me not a dreamer,
Think ye in that sphere
We shall lose the things of beauty;
We have long loved here?
Think ye in that sphere
We shall lose the things of beauty;
We have long loved here?
Wherefore should we love them ever,
Until life is o'er?
Why waste on them thought and feeling,
If they're ours no more?
Until life is o'er?
Why waste on them thought and feeling,
If they're ours no more?
Love the flowers, gentle flowers!
Strive like them to grow,
Pure and simple, meek and lowly;
While ye dwell below.
Strive like them to grow,
Pure and simple, meek and lowly;
While ye dwell below.
And when pressing, upward pressing
To the sun-lit shore,
Sweet will be the flowers' perfume;
Flowers that fade no more!
To the sun-lit shore,
Sweet will be the flowers' perfume;
Flowers that fade no more!
Hagar | ||