32 GAELIC AND ENGLISH POEMS.
LINES
ON BESSIE G. COLQUHOUN.
In beauty oii its parent stem
I saw a bright wee rosebud smile,
A lovely fragrant little gem,
I watched its opening for a while.
I wished to screen my fragile flower
From wintry winds, from frosts and snows,
To keep it in some sunny bower,
A precious amaranthine rose.
A voice said. Hush ! dost thou not know
No amaranth on earth can bloom ;
Death breathes on all things here below,
The world's one universal tomb.
The rain will on thy blossom beat,
The tempest ruffle its repose ;
But yet the sun will give its heat,
The dew its vigour, to thy rose.
Ask nought ; but when its leaves will fall.
In nature's course, into the grave,
Twill have so richly bloomed that all
Will miss the gladness that it gave ;
And when in the great spring again
Thy bud its beauties shall disclose,
That by life's river it may then
Be found an amaranthine rose.
WRITTEN ON A VALENTINE SENT TO
CHILD.
My sweet wee rosie posie dear,
My fairy queen of flowers ;
My violet, bright and beautiful,
In childhood's golden bowers.
My little ducksadearie,
'Mong all the gems that shine ;
My ])iccaniny, pure and blest,
Wilt be my valentine ?