THE EARLY FROST. 79 



THE EARLY FRO S T , 



MY flowers, rny few and precious flowers, 



what evil hath been here ? 

 Came the fierce Frost-King forth last night, so 



secret and severe? 

 I saw you last with diamond dew fresh on 



each beauteous head, 

 And little deem d to find ye thus, all desolate 



and dead. 



White Poppy, tall and full of pride, whose pe 

 tals feathery grace 



With fully rounded orb has decked my simple 

 parlor vase ; 



Thy oozing buds disclose the gum, that swells 

 Hygeia s store, 



But the sleep of death is on thee now, thy 

 magic spell is o er. 



