OH whither, honey-bees, Oh whither fly you, Seeking o'er blosmy leas Food to supply you? If you would feast on flowers divine, No longer range without design But hither hie you. Come seek Cassandra's lips Warm with my kisses -- Your honey-comb that drips Less sweet than this is. Here roses blow, and blood-red bowers Of Hyacinth's and Ajax' flowers Breathe perfumed blisses. Sweet marjoram all Winter through, And arum fragrant, Wait not Spring's leave to bloom anew That March and May grant, But match the laurel, ever young, While anise blossoms ever among The woodbine vagrant. But sheathe your stings, in care Her lips to cherish. She too can sting, beware! . . . And where there flourish A thousand flowers, leave some for mine To bear the manna and the wine My life that nourish | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ONE WORD MORE by ROBERT BROWNING STILL FALLS THE RAIN; THE RAIDS, 1940. NIGHT AND DAWN by EDITH SITWELL FOR A ROYAL WEDDING, 29 JULY 1981 by JOHN BETJEMAN KING PHILIP'S MEN by AUDREY ALEXANDRA BROWN RED COTTON NIGHT-CAP COUNTRY; OR, TURF AND TOWERS: PART 2 by ROBERT BROWNING PERDITA (ON SEEING MISS ANDERSON IN THE ROLE) by FLORENCE EARLE COATES |