TWO thirsty travelers chanced one day to meet Where a spring bubbled from the burning sand; One drank out of the hollow of his hand, And found the water very cool and sweet. The other waited for a smith to beat And fashion for his use a golden cup; And while he waited, fainting in the heat, The sunshine came and drank the fountain up! In a green field two little flowers there were, And both were fair in th' face and tender-eyed; One took the light and dew that heaven supplied, And all the summer gusts were sweet with her. The other, to her nature false, denied That she had any need of sun and dew, And hung her silly head, and sickly grew, And frayed and faded, all untimely died. A vine o' th' bean, that had been early wed To a tall peach, conceiving that he hid Her glories from the world, unwisely slid Out of his arms, and vainly chafing, said: "This fellow is an enemy of mine, And dwarfs me with his shade:" she would not see That she was made a vine, and not a tree, And that a tree is stronger than a vine. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HENRY MOORE'S STATUE AT LINCOLN CENTER by KAREN SWENSON LOVELY CHANCE by SARA TEASDALE MY FAMILIAR DREAM by PAUL VERLAINE THE TASK: BOOK 4. THE WINTER EVENING by WILLIAM COWPER THE BUILDING OF THE SHIP by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW FALSTAFF'S SONG by EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN ODE TO WORK by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS |