Joan Silver-pin 311 



stated in favor our uncanny feast by telling us 

 that in the East, Poppy seeds were eaten everywhere, 

 and were frequently baked with wheaten flour into 

 cakes. A dislike of the scent of Field Poppies is 

 often found among English folk. The author of 

 A World in a Garden speaks in disgust of " the pun- 

 gent and sickly odor of the flaring Poppies they 

 positively nauseate me " ; but then he disliked their 

 color too. 



There is something very fine about a Poppy, in the 

 extraordinary combination of boldness of color and 

 great size with its slender delicacy of stem, the grace 

 of the set of the beautiful buds, the fine turn of the 

 flower as it opens, and the wonderful airiness of poise 

 of so heavy a flower. The silkiness of tissue of the 

 petals, and their semi-transparency in some colors, 

 and the delicate fringes of some varieties, are great 

 charms. 



Each crumpled crepe-like leaf is soft as silk ; 



Long, long ago the children saw them there, 

 Scarlet and rose, with fringes white as milk, 



And called them ' shawls for fairies' dainty wear ' ; 

 They were not finer, those laid safe away 



In that low attic, neath the brown, warm eaves." 



And when the flowers have shed, oh, so lightly ! 

 their silken petals, there is still another beauty, a seed 

 vessel of such classic shape that it wears a crown. 



I have always rejoiced in the tributes paid to the 

 Poppy by Ruskin and Mrs. Thaxter. She deemed 

 them the most satisfactory flower among the annuals 

 " for wondrous variety, certain picturesque qualities, 

 for color and form, and a subtle air of mystery." 



