Classic Poem

In Leila's garden every flower,
Fam'd for sight or perfume, grew;
And plants that deck'd the field or bower,
Were there to add a lovelier hue.

Amidst this Eden's sweets, was one
Whose bloom seem'd ever doom'd to shine,
And when the light her leaves fell on,
Her tints grew then almost divine
Near her a Jasmine fair declin'd,
Dropping her blossoms from the wall,
Tulips and Roses near her twin'd,
But this Sweet Pea outshone them all.

Some Fairy lent the Pea a voice,
Some Sprite, or garden-wandering Elf,
Who long'd to hear the plant rejoice,
And sing the praises of herself.
Nor was she long deceiv'd — the Pea,
Finding herself possess a tongue,
Drew up her head exultingly,
And thus the wish'd-for praises sung: —

" I gaze on every plant around,
" And all the shrubs that round me twine,
" But not a flower that decks the ground,
" Can boast a bloom, a hue like mine.
" Sweet are the Rose and Almond trees;
" Yet with each wind that Leila meets,
" Each zephyr, and each light-wing'd breeze,
" I mingle my enrapturing sweets. "

On voice, the learned are agreed
In this opinion and no other,
If Fays could lend it plant or weed,
They might lend legs unto another.

And thus some Fairy, wishing much
To mortify this self-adorer,
To Household Pea lent two legs, such
As brought the Pea direct before her.
She left her kitchen garden, ere
The well-steel'd, red-arm'd Cook had miss'd her,
Shot by each plant, and flowret rare,
And thus address'd her vaunting sister: —

" Thou gaudy, trivial, boasting flower,
" Say where doth all thy merits lie,
" Doom'd but to live thy useless hour,
" To shed thy blossom, and to die.
" 'Tis true thy form doth graceful fall,
" Thy perfume's sweet, as sweet can be;
" But Time, who holds his scythe for all,
" Will pitiless tear those charms from thee."

The Pea replied, " Talk not of death,
" Behold my rich unequall'd bloom, —
" The wind is perfum'd with my breath,
" Why, why remind me of the tomb?
" On me hath Leila gaz'd for hours,
" Her gaze admiring still I share,
" And thinks the Rose that decks her bowers,
" Not half so fragrant or so fair. "

Her sister then again rejoin'd, —
" Hold, Queen of Beauty; on my word,
" No speech that Flattery ever coin'd
" Can equal half what I have heard.
" Amidst your reasonings, does it not
" Occur, or can't my sister guess,
" That flowers there are not worth a jot,
" Though rich in Nature's loveliness?
" While some there are that richly give
" A perfume when their leaves are shed,
" As precious as when each did live,
" Which Art extracts when they are dead.
" Now thou, when thy life's little day,
" On Time's all fleeting wings has flown,
" The spot where thou hast bloom'd so gay,
" The very spot will be unknown.
" E'en I, whom you contemn so light,
" Am useful, and do all I can,
" Not to delight the smell or sight,
" But, nobler purpose! nourish man."

The Fairies, who each speech did hear,
Hearing the words grow high between them,
Stole gently from the rose-bush near,
Where they in ambush long had seen them.
And after having chid Sweet Pea ,
Who, trembling greatly, ask'd their pardon,
They saw her sister hop with glee
Back to her native kitchen garden.