Page:The Romance of Nature; or, The Flower-Seasons Illustrated.djvu/267

169 She spread out far and wide

The bonnie blooming Heather,

And bade the Water Lilies ride

Yellow and white together.

She made the day-break glad and bright,

And softly calm the gloaming,

For lovers fond, who in the light

Of the silver moon were roaming.

Oh! Summer was a glorious queen,

But sorrow soon came o'er her;

Her flowers of beauty waned, I ween,

Like Spring's young buds before Her.

The Rose, her fairest darling, fell,

And left but thorns behind;

The Woodbine, Jasmine, lost their smell,—

The lilies all declined.

And one by one they drooped and died,

Till all had passed away;

And where triumphant Summer's pride

Had been—'twas dim decay.

And Summer in bright tears of dew

Their mournful loss so wept,

That she made dim her eyes of blue,

And then—poor Summer slept.