A Floral Fantasy in an Old English Garden »

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A Floral Fantasy in an Old English Garden

by

Walter Crane

NEW YORK & LONDON HARPER AND BROTHERS

A FLORAL FANTASY IN AN OLD ENGLISH GARDEN

SET FORTH IN
VERSES & COLOURED
DESIGNS
BY
WALTER CRANE

LONDON: AT THE
HOUSE OF HARPER
AND BROTHERS:
1899

THE OLD ENGLISH GARDEN

A FLORAL PHANTASY

In an old world garden dreaming, Where the flowers had human names, Methought, in fantastic seeming, They disported as squires and dames.

Of old in Rosamond’s Bower,
With it’s peacock hedges of yew,
One could never find the flower
Unless one was given the clue;
So take the key of the wicket,
Who would follow my fancy free,
By formal knot and clipt thicket,
And smooth greensward so fair to see

And while Time his scythe is whetting, Ere the dew from the grass has gone,

The Four Seasons’ flight forgetting, As they dance round the dial stone;

With a leaf from an old English book, A Jonquil will serve for a pen.

Let us note from the green arbour’s nook, Flowers masking like women and men.

FIRST in VENUS’S LOOKING GLASS, You may see where LOVE LIES BLEEDING,

While PRETTY MAIDS all of them pass With careless hearts quite unheeding.

Next, a knight with his flaming targe See the DENT—DE—LION so bold With his feathery crest at large, On a field of the cloth of gold.

Simple honesty shows in vain
A fashion few seek to robe in,
While the poor SHEPHERD’S—PURSE is ta’en
By rascally RAGGED—ROBIN.

COLTSFOOT
and
LARKSPUR

SPEEDWELL

In the race of the flowers that’s run due,

As the HARTSTONGUE pants at the well

And the HOUNDSTONGUE laps the SUNDEW.

Here’s VENUS’—COMBE for MAIDENHAIR: While KING—CUPS drink BELLA—DONNA,

Glad in purple and gold so fair, Though the DEADLY NIGHTSHADE’S upon her.

Behold LONDON PRIDE robed & crowned, Ushered in by the GOLDEN ROD, While a floral crowd press around, Just to win from her crest a nod.

The FOXGLOVES are already on. Not only in pairs but dozens; They’ve come out to see all the fun, With sisters and aunts and cousins.