Page:The Romance of Nature; or, The Flower-Seasons Illustrated.djvu/201

115 And star-like blossom, and trembling leaf,

Awaits thy wishes in fear and grief.

Has the Jasmine's perfume become less sweet?

Or the Woodbine frail

Too eagerly flung her arms to greet

The Summer gale?

Or has the Ceris-flower not blown?

Sweet guardian, why is thine anger shown?"

Then the Fairy besought the flowers to clear

From their glistening petals each dewy tear;

And unfold on the breeze each pencilled leaf,

For they had not the power to ease her grief:

And she told them how long she had dwelt away

From her home-land, where sprite, and elf, and fay,

Were her frolic-mates—and where sky and air

Were brighter than ever earth's flow'rets were:

And she told them that much as she loved each face,

Blooming around her in light and grace,

Sometimes a sigh

Would rise in her breast, a tear to her eye,

As she thought on sweet Fairy-land's glittering sky;

For though the hue,

To earthly view,

Of many a bud seemed soft and blue,

There was not one

Which recalled to her eye the exquisite shade

Of which Fairy-land's radiant heaven was made.