Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE TWO GARDENS, by ANN TAYLOR


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE TWO GARDENS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: When harry and dick had been striving to please
Last Line: The fruit of his patience and care.
Subject(s): Boys; Gardens & Gardening


WHEN Harry and Dick had been striving to please,
Their father (to whom it was known)
Made two little gardens, and stocked them with trees,
And gave one to each for his own.

Harry thank'd his papa, and with rake, hoe, and spade,
Directly began his employ:
And soon such a neat little garden was made,
That he panted with labour and joy.

There was always some bed or some border to mend,
Or something to tie or to stick;
And Harry rose early his garden to tend,
While sleeping lay indolent Dick.

The tulip, the rose, and the lily so white,
United their beautiful bloom:
And often the honey-bee stooped from his flight
To sip the delicious perfume.

A neat row of peas in full blossom was seen,
French beans were beginning to shoot;
And his gooseberries and currants, though yet they were green,
Foretold for him plenty of fruit.

But Richard loved better in bed to repose,
And there, as he curl'd himself round,
Forgot that no tulip, nor lily, nor rose,
Nor fruit in his garden was found.

Rank weeds and tall nettles disfigured his beds,
Nor cabbage nor lettuce was seen:
The slug and the snail showed their mischievous heads,
And ate every leaf that was green.

Thus Richard the idle, who shrank from the cold,
Beheld his trees naked and bare;
While Harry the active was charmed to behold
The fruit of his patience and care.





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