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Poems
and Essays
by
Joseph Howe
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TO
THE MAYFLOWER.
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Lovely
flow’ret, sweetly blooming
’Neath our drear ungentle
sky—
Shrinking, coy, and unassuming
From the gaze of mortal
eye.
On thy bed of moss reposing,
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5 |
Fearless
of the drifting snow,
Modestly thy charms disclosing,
Storms but make them brighter
glow,
Spring’s mild, fragrant, fair attendant,
Blooming near the greenwood
tree,
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10 |
While
the dew-drop, sparkling, pendant,
Makes thee smile bewitchingly.
Oh! I love to look upon thee,
Peeping from thy close retreat,
While the sun is shining on thee,
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15 |
And
thy balmy fragrance greet. [Page 157]
View exotics, proudly growing
On the shelter’d,
mild parterre,
But, if placed where thou art blowing
Would they bloom and blossom
there?
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April’s breeze would quickly banish
All the sweets by them display’d,
Soon each boasted charm would vanish,
Every cherish’d beauty
fade.
Scotia’s offspring—first and fairest,
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25 |
Nurst
in snows, by storms caress’d
Oh! how lovely thou appearest
When in all thy beauty dress’d.
Red and white, so sweetly blending.
O’er thy fragrance
throw a flush
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30 |
While
beneath the dew-drop bending,
Rivall’d but by beauty’s
blush.
Welcome little crimson favor
To our glades and valleys
wild
Scotia ask’d, and Flora gave her,
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35 |
| Precious
boon, her fairest child. [Page 158] |
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