Poems (Scudder)/In My Love's Garden

by Antoinette Quinby Scudder

IN MY LOVE'S GARDEN

In my love's garden
None but white flowers,
Marguerites, lilies,
Satin-leaved pansies,
Hyacinths snow-belled,
Hauntingly fragrant,
Yea, and the starlike,
Fragile narcissi.
Flowers of silver,
Flowers of sea foam,
Made of the moon-dusk,
Coolness and silence.
—But oh for roses
Deep-hued, delicious,
Flame-spirits troublous,
Poignant and tender,
Oh for the gorgeous
Red-golden poppies,
Passion-compelling,
Regal, barbaric,
Oh for the splendid
Throbbing carnations
Breathing the spicy
Heat of the southland,
Drowning in color
Moth-stir or wing-flash
Of the bold sunbird,
Stifling with perfume
Bee-whir or vivid
Butterfly wooing.
—I yearn for color,
Warmth, fiery fragrance—
In my love's garden
None but white flowers.