FIELD FLOWERS 



memory, vague ghosts of flowers, 

 pale flowers that are scarcely flowers 

 at all: the three-fingered Saxifrage, or 

 Samphire; the almost invisible Shep- 

 herd 's-Pouch; the two-leaved Squill; 

 the Stinking Hellebore^ or Christmas 

 Rose; the Colt's-Foot; the gloomy and 

 poisonous Spurge Laurel all plants of 

 frail and doubtful health, pale-blue, 

 pale-pink, undecided attempts, the first 

 fever of life in which nature expels her 

 ill-humours, anaemic captives set free 

 by winter, convalescent patients from 

 the underground prisons, timid and un- 

 skilful endeavours of the still buried 

 light. 



But soon this light ventures forth into 

 space ; the nuptial thoughts of the earth 

 C ^6] 



