200 THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS 
When Poverty beset .their path, 
And threatened to divide them. 
They coaxed away the beldame’s wrath. 
Ere she had breath to chide them. 
By vowing all her rags were silk. 
And all her bitters, honey. 
And showing taste for bread and milk, 
And utter scorn of money. 
They met stern D a nger in their way, 
Upon a ruin seated ; 
Before him kings had quaked that day. 
And armies had retreated. 
But he was robed in such a cloud, 
As Love and Hope came near him. 
That though he thundered long and loud. 
They did not see or hear him. 
A grey-beard joined them, Time by name; 
And Love was nearly crazy, 
To find that he was very lame. 
And also very lazy ; 
Hope, as he listened to her tale, 
Tied wings upon his jacket; 
And then they far outran the mail. 
And far outsailed the packet. 
And so, when they had safely passed 
O’er many a land and billow. 
Before a grave they stopped at last. 
Beneath a weeping willow ; 
The moon upon the humble mound 
