Bird-Notes by Evelyn Douglas [i.e. J. E. Barlas] |
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| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
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| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. | XXXIX.
History of a Flower. |
 | Bird-Notes |  |
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XXXIX. History of a Flower.
I saw a golden flower
Its bright petals ope
In a sunny hour,
And I called it Hope.
Its bright petals ope
In a sunny hour,
And I called it Hope.
Hope whose life hath any length,
Must be fed on pride and strength.
Must be fed on pride and strength.
I saw the rude wind play
With its petals sere
On a stormy day,
And I called it Fear.
With its petals sere
On a stormy day,
And I called it Fear.
Sere had not the petals grown
Vainly had the tempest blown.
Vainly had the tempest blown.
Then the freezing rime
Clutched the fragments torn
At a chilling time,
And I called it Scorn.
Clutched the fragments torn
At a chilling time,
And I called it Scorn.
Had the leaves clung to the stem
Frost had ne'er laid hold on them.
Frost had ne'er laid hold on them.
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But soon they hard and cold
As frost itself became
Long ere they were old—
And I found no name.
As frost itself became
Long ere they were old—
And I found no name.
Hard but weak the poor shreds were;
Courage is not like despair.
Courage is not like despair.
Last, a small green thing
I saw sprout and ope
In a second spring,
And I called it Hope
I saw sprout and ope
In a second spring,
And I called it Hope
Strength and weakness meet on earth;
Courage hath such second birth.
Courage hath such second birth.
| Bird-Notes | |