170 LAST AND LEAST OF THINGS 



A MORE ANCIENT MARINER 



THE swarthy bee is a buccaneer, 



A burly velveted rover, 

 Who loves the booming wind in his ear 



As he sails the seas of clover. 



A waif of the goblin pirate crew, 

 With not a soul to deplore him, 



He steers for the open verge of blue 

 With the filmy world before him. 



His flimsy sails abroad on the wind 

 Are shivered with fairy thunder; 



On a line that sings to the light of his wings 

 He makes for the lands of wonder. 



He harries the ports of the Hollyhocks, 

 And levies on poor Sweetbriar ; 



He drinks the whitest wine of Phlox, 

 And the Rose is his desire. 



He hangs in the Willows a night and a day ; 



He rifles the Buckwheat patches ; 

 Then battens his store of pelf galore 



Under the tautest hatches. 



He woos the Poppy, and weds the Peach, 



Inveigles Daffodilly, 

 And then like a tramp abandons each 



For the gorgeous Canada Lily. 



