EUPHRASIA OFFICINALIS, OR EYE-BRIGHT. THERE is a flower, a tiny flower, Its hue is white, but close within 't There is a spot of golden tint, Therein abides a wondrous juice, That hath, for such as know its use, A sweet and holy power. It is the little Euphrasy, Which you no doubt have often seen To clear the darken'd eye. And maybe now it hath no more Yet still the gold-eyed weedie springs, THE COWSLIP. LADY, beyond the wide Atlantic main Huge trees hast thou beheld, and gorgeous flowers, And poor may be to thee, and dim, and plain The simple posies of this isle of ours; Declines her head, the lady of the land For there is beauty in the cowslip bell That must be sought for ere it can be spied, And her pure perfume must be known full well Before its goodness can be testified; And therefore do I give the flower to thee, Thinking thee better than I know or see. THE COWSLIP AND THE LARK. My pretty lady cowslip! prim and shy, And thou, bold lark! thou shivering voice on high ! Why wilt thou not, my merry bird, advance, The brave bird of the sky and floweret of the green. ON A BUNCH OF COWSLIPS, GROWN NEAR THE WRAY, AND PRESENTED TO THE AUTHOR BY A LADY. SWEET stranger lady, of a southern land, Has the soft magic of a lady's hand Evoked thy slimness from the cold north clay? Thy sister Primrose is a damsel bold That will be found, mayhap before we seek; Thou art a lady, coy, yet not so cold, Tall and erect, though modest, yet not weak. Thou art not lively in thy bashful mood, Content of many sisters to be one. I cannot look upon thee, delicate plant, To give thy beauties and thy meanings room. |