| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
| |
| Flowers |
| | | Thomas Hood (1799–1845) |
| |
| |
| I WILL not have the mad Clytie, | |
| Whose head is turn’d by the sun; | |
| The tulip is a courtly quean, | |
| Whom, therefore I will shun; | |
| The cowslip is a country wench, | 5 |
| The violet is a nun; | |
| But I will woo the dainty rose, | |
| The queen of every one. | |
| |
| The pea is but a wanton witch, | |
| In too much haste to wed, | 10 |
| And clasps her rings on every hand; | |
| The wolfsbane I should dread; | |
| Nor will I dreary rosemarye, | |
| That always mourns the dead; | |
| But I will woo the dainty rose, | 15 |
| With her cheeks of tender red. | |
| |
| The lily is all in white, like a saint, | |
| And so is no mate for me, | |
| And the daisy’s cheek is tipp’d with a blush, | |
| She is of such low degree; | 20 |
| Jasmine is sweet, and has many loves, | |
| And the broom’s betroth’d to the bee; | |
| But I will plight with the dainty rose, | |
| For fairest of all is she. | |
| |
|
|
|
