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A FLOWER SONG OF ANGIOLA, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Down where the garden grows
Last Line: "die, being blest.""'"
Alternate Author Name(s): Dobson, Austin


DOWN where the garden grows,
Gay as a banner,
Spake to her mate the Rose
After this manner: --
'We are the first of flowers,
Plain-land or hilly,
All reds and whites are ours,
Are they not, Lily?'

Then to the flowers I spake, --
'Watch ye my Lady
Gone to the leafy brake,
Silent and shady;
When I am near to her,
Lily, she knows;
How I am dear to her,
Look to it, Rose.'

Straightway the Blue-bell stooped,
Paler for pride,
Down where the Violet drooped,
Shy, at her side: --
'Sweetheart, save me and you,
Where has the summer kist
Flowers of as fair a hue, --
Turkis or Amethyst?'

Therewith I laughed aloud,
Spake on this wise,
'O little flowers so proud,
Have ye seen eyes
Change through the blue in them, --
Change till the mere
Loving that grew in them
Turned to a tear?

'Flowers, ye are bright of hue,
Delicate, sweet;
Flowers, and the sight of you
Lightens men's feet;
Yea, but her worth to me,
Flowerets, even,
Sweetening the earth to me,
Sweeteneth heaven.

'This, then, O Flowers, I sing;
God, when He made ye,
Made yet a fairer thing
Making my Lady; --
Fashioned her tenderly,
Giving all weal to her; --
Girdle ye slenderly,
Go to her, kneel to her, --

'Saying, "He sendeth us,
He the most dutiful,
Meetly he endeth us,
Maiden most beautiful!
Let us get rest of you,
Sweet, in your breast; --
Die, being prest of you,
Die, being blest."'





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