Page:Fugitive Poetry 1600-1878.djvu/211
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THE NIGHT-FLOWERING CEREUS.
193
The Primrose, good-humoured, replied, "If you knew
More about him—(remember I'm older than you,
And better instructed, can tell you his tale)—
You'd envy him least of all flowers in the vale;
With all his fine airs, and his dazzling show,
No blossom more baneful and odious can blow;
And the reason that flowerets before him give way,
Is because they all hate him and shrink from his ray.
More about him—(remember I'm older than you,
And better instructed, can tell you his tale)—
You'd envy him least of all flowers in the vale;
With all his fine airs, and his dazzling show,
No blossom more baneful and odious can blow;
And the reason that flowerets before him give way,
Is because they all hate him and shrink from his ray.
"To stay near him long would be fading or death,
For he scatters a pest with his venomous breath;
While the flowers that you fancy are crowding you there,
Spring round you, delighted your converse to share;
His flame-coloured robe is imposing, 'tis true;
Yet, who likes it so well as your mantle of blue?
For we know that of innocence one is the vest,
The other, the cloak of a treacherous breast.
For he scatters a pest with his venomous breath;
While the flowers that you fancy are crowding you there,
Spring round you, delighted your converse to share;
His flame-coloured robe is imposing, 'tis true;
Yet, who likes it so well as your mantle of blue?
For we know that of innocence one is the vest,
The other, the cloak of a treacherous breast.
"I see your surprise—but I know him full well,
I've remembered his victims as fading they fell;
He blighted twin-violets, that under him lay,
And poisoned a sister of mine the same day."
The Primrose was silent—the Harebell, 'tis said,
Inclined for a moment her beautiful head:
But quickly recovered her spirits, and then
Declared that she ne'er should feel envy again.
I've remembered his victims as fading they fell;
He blighted twin-violets, that under him lay,
And poisoned a sister of mine the same day."
The Primrose was silent—the Harebell, 'tis said,
Inclined for a moment her beautiful head:
But quickly recovered her spirits, and then
Declared that she ne'er should feel envy again.
The Night-Flowering Cereus.
"The night-flowering Cereus, or Cactus grandiflorus, is one of our most splendid hothouse plants, and is a native of Jamaica, and some other of the West India Islands. Its stem is creeping, and thickly set with spines. The flower is white, and very large, sometimes nearly a foot in diameter. The most remarkable circumstance with regard to the flower, is the short time which it takes to expand, and the rapidity with which it decays. It begins to open late in the evening, flourishes for an hour or two, then begins to droop, and before morning is completely dead."—Sacred Harp of American Poetry.
Now departs day's garish light—
Beauteous flower, lift thy head!
Rise upon the brow of night!
Haste, thy transient lustre shed!
Beauteous flower, lift thy head!
Rise upon the brow of night!
Haste, thy transient lustre shed!
Night has dropped her dusky veil—
All vain thoughts be distant far,
While, with silent awe, we hail
Flora's radiant evening star.
All vain thoughts be distant far,
While, with silent awe, we hail
Flora's radiant evening star.
o