Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900.djvu/930

 WILLIAM BRIGHTY RANDS

1823-1880

755. The Flowers

When Love arose in heart and deed To wake the world to greater joy, 'What can she give me now?' said Greed, Who thought to win some costly toy.

He rose, he ran, he stoop'd, he clutch'd; And soon the Flowers, that Love let fall, In Greed's hot grasp were fray'd and smutch'd, And Greed said, 'Flowers! Can this be all?'

He flung them down and went his way, He cared no jot for thyme or rose; But boys and girls came out to play, And some took these and some took those—

Red, blue, and white, and green and gold; And at their touch the dew return'd, And all the bloom a thousandfold— So red, so ripe, the roses burn'd !

756. The Thought

Into the skies, one summer's day, I sent a little Thought away; Up to where, in the blue round, The sun sat shining without sound.

Then my Thought came back to me.— Little Thought, what did you see In the regions whence you come? And when I spoke, my Thought was dumb.