















96 THE POETRY OF FLOWERS. 
With its dark budsand leaves, wandering astray, 
And flowers azure, black, and streak’d with gold ; 
Fairer than any waken’d eyes behold. 
And nearer to the river’s trembling edge 
There grew broad flag-flowers, purple prankt 
with white, 
And starry river buds among the sedge, 
And floating water-lilies, broad and bright, 
Which lit the oak that overhung the hedge 
With moonlight beams of their own watery 
light ; 
And bulrushes and reeds of such deep green 
As soothed the dazzled eye with sober sheen. 
Methought that of these visionary flowers 
I made a nosegay, bound in such a way 
That the same hues which in their natural bowers 
Were mingled or opposed, the like array 
Kept these imprison’d children of the honrs 
Within my hand,— and then, elate and gay, 
[ hasten’d to the spot whence I had come, 
That I might there present it!—Oh! to whomf 

