May Day and maidens

Painting by Edmund Tarbell

For the third year straight, we received another delightful bouquet from our angelic, anonymous May Day benefactress.  

Photograph by Elspeth Young

Golden Leaves of the American Poets, 1897

While thinking of angels, we remembered this under-quoted piece of verse from the rather angelic Godey's Lady's Book editor, Sarah Hale (most famed as the author of Mary Had a Little Lamb--and speaking of under-quoted, we've always loved the fifth verses best:  "What makes the lamb love Mary so?" /The little children cry-/ "O Mary loves the lamb, you know," / The teacher did reply:").  We wanted to send the following poem to all of  you unsung and gracious "maidens," young and old, who do so much to make our lives sweeter. ( It's a particularly  nice reminder with Mother's Day fast approaching, since it sums up the essence of many a mum.)


One came with light and laughing air,
And cheek like opening blossom
Bright gems were twined amid her hair,
And glittered on her bosom ;
And pearls and costly diamonds deck
Her round white arms and lovely neck.

Like summer's sky, with stars bedight,
The jewelled robe around her,
And dazzling as the noontide light
The radiant zone that bound her
And pride and joy were in her eye,
And mortals bowed as she passed by.

Another came : o'er her sweet face
A pensive shade was stealing;
Yet there no grief of earth we trace
But the Heaven-hallowed feeling
Which mourns the heart should ever stray
From the pure fount of truth away.

Around her brow, as snow-drop fair,
The glossy tresses cluster,
Nor pearl nor ornament was there,
Save the meek spirit's lustre;
And faith and hope beamed in her eye,
And angels bowed as she passed by.

Tags: 2013, Floral arrangements, Flowers and garden, Holidays