THE 



POETRY OF FLOWEHS, 



-^ 



ACACIA, YELLOW. 



SECRET LOVE. 



Thou, like a star-flower in the wood. 

 Thy modest charms art hiding ; 



Content with humblv doing good. 

 And iu God's love abiding. 



But thotigh the world observes thee not. 

 In one fond heart thou'rt treasured ; 



A uA bright indeed must be the lot 

 That shares a love unmeasured. 



ACACIA, ROSE. 



PLATOXIC LOVE. 



lo, others kneel before thy shrine 

 With Passion's words of fire ; 



But better far such love as mine. 

 That never feels desire. 



To pray for thee at twilight hour. 

 To dream of thee at night. 



To link thy name with every flower- 

 These make my love's delight. 



And years mny roll, and time may mar 



The beauty of thy brow. 

 But thou, however distant far, 



Wilt be as dear as now. 



From Passion and its stains refined. 



My love is deep and pare ; 

 Shall it not, bom of heart and mind, 



A= long as these endure ? 



AMARANTH. 



or this plnnt there are many species. The prettiest 

 is the Globe Amarai-.ih — fiowci-s red, unfading. 



IMMOKTALITY. 



Oh, not fi.r the hue of thy roseate cheek. 



Nor the dimpled rubies that smile and speiik ; 



Oh, not for the flash of thy glowing eye, 



Nor the eloquent sound of thy soft, low sigh, 



Do I love thee, bright being of passion and grace I 



'Tis tha Boul, the sweet sou! in thy beautiful face. 



Tlie sjiirit immortal, the charm that ne'er dies. 



That from death and the gloom of the grave will arise ; 



It is this that inthrals me : and thou unto me 



Art the embryo, only, of what thou shalt he; 



For thy mortal shall Uie^ but the beauty I love 



Ilalh an endless existence and progress above 1 



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