GREEN FLOWERS 37 



moved amiably together in the wake of a shouting 

 man and a clanking plough. Most thoroughly the 

 birds explored every rich furrow, and few worms 

 and grubs escaped from them. Over each other's 

 back they hopped and fluttered with caw and mew ; 

 and all were strangely unfearful of the man who cried 

 loudly to his horses at every turn. 



The bosomy hills were brushed with young green 

 where corn came strongly in the blade, and along 

 the fringes of the fields, red earth appeared, where, 

 seen from afar, the moles had written in wide angles 

 and sharp turns, in spots and dashes and ruddy 

 splashes, a cryptic language on the green. Then 

 came the sun, and the grey overhead broke into shafts 

 of radiance that turned like the spokes of a golden 

 wheel on the Spring world. The elms in distant 

 hedgerows responded to this shower of light, became 

 beautifully transformed under my eyes while the 

 shadows passed off them, and glimmered with in- 

 florescence as ruddy as their mother earth beneath. 

 A sort of lacework of blossom shrouded each 

 tree in a transparent veil of colour ; and through 

 it the thews and sinews of every giant appeared 

 rising with shapely limbs, tapering branches, gauze 

 of young wood, and riot of life to its rounded 

 head. 



Suddenly I found close at my hand a little sea- 

 green chalice with drooping petals and lemon eye. 



Like wings the palmate foliage sprang from the 

 drooped crown of the flower, and I welcomed her 



