SEVENTEEN rosebuds in a ring, Thick with sister flowers beset, In a fragrant coronet, Lucy's servants this day bring. Be it the birthday wreath she wears Fresh and fair, and symbolling The Young number of her years, The sweet blushes of her spring. Types of youth and love and hope! Friendly hearts your mistress greet, Be you ever fair and sweet, And grow lovelier as you ope! Gentle nursling, fenced about With fond care, and guarded so, Scarce you've heard of storms without, Frosts that bite, or winds that blow! Kindly has your life begun, And we pray that Heaven may send To our floweret a warm sun, A clam summer, a sweet end. And where'er shall be her home, May she decorate the place; Still expanding into bloom, And developing in grace. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HOMAGE TO SEXTUS PROPERTIUS: 5 by EZRA POUND VIGNETTES OVERSEAS: 2. OFF ALGIERS by SARA TEASDALE THE CONTRETEMPS by THOMAS HARDY FAUSTINE by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE LAURENCE BLOOMFIELD IN IRELAND: 9. GOING TO THE FAIR by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM ON THE KING'S ILLNESS by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD EASTER (TO A BASE AND TWO TREBLES) by JOSEPH BEAUMONT THE LAND OF DREAMS by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT THE NURSE AND THE NEWSPAPER; AN OCCASIONAL EPILOGUE by ELIZABETH COBBOLD |