Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE AMERICAN ALOE ON EXHIBITION, by HERMAN MELVILLE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE AMERICAN ALOE ON EXHIBITION, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: But few they were who came to see
Last Line: Accounting me a weed!
Subject(s): Aloe (flower); Flowers


But few they were who came to see
The Century-Plant in flower:
Ten cents admission -- price you pay
For bon-bons of the hour.

In strange inert blank unconcern
Of wild things at the Zoo,
The patriarch let the sight-seers stare --
Nor recked who came to view.

But lone at night the garland sighed
While moaned the aged stem:
"At last, at last! but joy and pride
What part have I with them?"

Let be the dearth that kept me back
Now long from wreath decreed;
But, Ah, ye Roses that have passed
Accounting me a weed!





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