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“Next to the upland wheat, and then the oats.” 
How the Poppies shook in their scarlet coats! 
Ay, shook with laughter, not fear, for they 
Never dreamed they too should be swept away, 
And their laughter was spite, to think that all 
Their “ useful” neighbours were doomed to fall. 
They swelled and bustled with such an air, 
The corn-fields quite in commotion were, 
And the farmer cried, glancing across the grain, 
“How those rascally weeds have come up again !” 
“Ha! ha!” laughed the Red-caps, “ha! ha! what a fuss 
Must the poor weeds be in! how they’re envying us!” 
But their mirth was cut short by the sturdy strokes 
\They speedily met from the harvest-folks. 
And when low on the earth each stem was laid, 
And the round moon looked on the havoc made, 
A Blue-bottle propped herself half erect, 
And made a short-speech—to this effect. 
“My dying kins-flowers, and fainting friends, 
The same dire fate alike attends 
Those who in scarlet or blue are dressed; 
Then how silly the pride that so late possessed 
“Our friends the Red-caps! how low they lie, 
Who were lately so pert, and vain, and high! 
They sneered at us and our plain array; 
Are we now a whit more humbled than they? 
