 | The silver bridge and other poems |  |
70
BRIER-BLOOM.
The wild azaleas sweeten all the woods,
The locust swings its garlands of perfume,
But sweetest of all sweets, to-day there broods
Along the slopes of green and golden gloom
The scent of brier-bloom.
The locust swings its garlands of perfume,
But sweetest of all sweets, to-day there broods
Along the slopes of green and golden gloom
The scent of brier-bloom.
Sweetest of sweets and fairest of all flowers,—
A snowy wreath of delicate blossoming,
The blackberry-bramble creeps and hides, or towers
Above the budding shrubs, with clasp and cling
Bowering the realm of spring.
A snowy wreath of delicate blossoming,
The blackberry-bramble creeps and hides, or towers
Above the budding shrubs, with clasp and cling
Bowering the realm of spring.
Roses are warmer with their passionate red,
Lilies are queenlier with their hearts of snow,
Magnolia cups a heavier incense shed,
But when I would be tranced with sweet, I go
Where the sharp briers grow.
Lilies are queenlier with their hearts of snow,
Magnolia cups a heavier incense shed,
But when I would be tranced with sweet, I go
Where the sharp briers grow.
Brave must the hand be, which would bear away
Their snowy length, and dare the threatened doom,
Yet when is past my woodland holiday,
I can but smile at wounds, and deck my room
With wreaths of brier-bloom.
Their snowy length, and dare the threatened doom,
71
I can but smile at wounds, and deck my room
With wreaths of brier-bloom.
Some souls I love are twinned with flowers like these,
Recluse, and shrinking from the broadest day,
And full of delicatest fragrances—
Yet with keen pride to hold false friends at bay,
And keep the world away.
Recluse, and shrinking from the broadest day,
And full of delicatest fragrances—
Yet with keen pride to hold false friends at bay,
And keep the world away.
| The silver bridge and other poems | |