DIRGE OF FLOWERS. 221 



The south wind searches for the flowers 



Whose fragrance late he bore, 

 And sighs to find them in the wood 



And by the stream no more. 



And then I think of one who in ^ 



Her youthful beauty died, — 

 The fair, meek blossom, that grew up 



And faded by my side : 

 In the cold moist earth we laid her, when 



The forest cast the leaf. 

 And we wept that one so lovely 



Should have a life so brief; 

 Yet not unmeet it was, that one, 



Like that young friend of ours, 

 So gentle and so beautiful. 



Should perish with the flowers. 



TO BLOSSOMS. 



HERRICK. 



Fair pledges of a fruitful tree, 

 Why do ye fall so fast? 

 Your date is not so past, 



But you may stay here yet awhile, 

 To blush and gently smile, 

 And go at last. 



