98 
THE POETRY OF FLOWERS. 
. Visions of freshness, of rich bowery gloom, 
Of the low murmurs filling mossy dells, 
Of stars that look down on your folded bells 
Through dewy leaves ; of many a wild perfume 
Greeting the wanderer of the hill and grove 
Like sudden music; more than this ye bring— 
Far more; ye whisper of the all-fostering love, 
Which thus hath clothed you, and whose dove-like 
wing 
Broods o’er the sufferer drawing fevered breath, 
Whether the couch be that of life or death. 
Worthy of association with the above tribute may 
be quoted the following stanzas by Patterson :— 
Flowers are the brightest things which Earth 
From her broad bosom loves to cherish; 
Gay they appear as Childhood’s mirth— 
Like fading dreams of hope, they perish. 
In every clime, in every age, 
Mankind have owned their pleasing sway; 
And lays to them have decked the page 
Of Moralist—and Minstrel gay. 
By them the lover tells his tale; 
They can his hopes, his fears express : 
The maid, when words or looks would fail. 
Can thus a kind return confess. 
They wreath the harp at banquets tried, 
With them we crown the crested brave; 
They deck the maid—adorn the bride— 
They hang in sorrow o’er the grave. 
