60 Tall Bearded Iris 



Irises singing in the pool, 

 Irises dancing on its edge, 

 Amethyst bright and April cool 

 In among the greening sedge; 

 Pale as evening under the moon, 

 Purpling up to the roseate dawn, 

 Fragrant 'neath the delicate noon 

 Thrilled with pursuit of a leafy faun. 



Blue, how heavenly blue are they! 

 Tiny plashes of scattered skies, 

 Precious bits of the April day 

 Azure as Aphrodite's eyes; 

 Laughing into sweetening air, 

 Singing and dancing with dainty art, 

 Virginal laughter free from care, 

 Emerald robe and golden heart. 



Young, how blissfully young they are! 

 Little naiads unknown to fear, 

 Young as morn with its blossomy star, 

 Youthful as hope in the budding year; 

 Swaying gently for love of life, 

 Singing softly for love of love, 

 Leaving free from wintry strife 

 Water below and heaven above. 



Blue as the blue of tempered steel, 

 Golden with wealth of courage fine, 

 Now they stand and now they kneel, 

 Spears upheld in the battle line; 

 Perils in frost and darkening ill 

 Dare not bide and away they flee, 

 While the Irises dance their fill 

 Chanting their paeans of victory. 



Wallace Rice: Irises. 



