Trusting the first warm day of spring, When transient sunshine warms the sky, Light on his yellow spotted wing Comes forth the early butterfly. With wavering flight, he settles now Where pilewort spreads its blossoms fair, Or on the grass where daisies blow, Pausing, he rests his pinions there. But insect! in a luckless hour Thou from thy winter home hast come, For yet is seen no luscious flower With odour rich, and honied bloom. And these that to the early day Yet timidly their bells unfold, Close with the sun's retreating ray, And shut their humid eyes of gold. For night's dark shades then gather round, And night-winds whistle cold and keen, And hoary frost will crisp the ground, And blight the leaves of budding green! And thou, poor fly! so soft and frail, May'st perish ere returning morn, Nor ever, on the summer gale, To taste of summer sweets be borne! Thus unexperienc'd rashness will presume On the fair promise of life's opening day, Nor dreams how soon the adverse storms may come, "That hush'd in grim repose, expect their evening prey." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HIS CONTENT IN THE COUNTRY by ROBERT HERRICK THE FARMER'S BRIDE by CHARLOTTE MEW THE FIRST PROCLAMATION OF MILES STANDISH [NOVEMBER 23, 1620] by MARGARET JUNKIN PRESTON ARCADIA: SESTINA by PHILIP SIDNEY HOMAGE TO QUINTUS SEPTIMIUS FLORENTIS CHRISTIANUS: TROY by AGATHIAS SCHOLASTICUS EPISTLES ON THE CHARACTER AND CONDITION OF WOMEN: 2 by LUCY AIKEN RECOMPENSE by JESSE M. BALL ALLEN TO A LADY, WITH SOME PAINTED FLOWERS by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD |