Blue Bells.

Bonny little Blue-bells     Mid young brackens green,     'Neath the hedgerows peeping     Modestly between;     Telling us that Summer     Is not far away,     When your beauties blend with     Blossoms of the May.     Sturdy, tangled hawthorns,     Fleck'd with white or red,     Whilst their nutty incense,     All around is shed.     Bonny drooping Blue-bells,     Happy you must be     With your beauties sheltered     'Neath such fragrant tree.     You need fear no rival, -     Other blossoms blown,     With their varied beauties     But enhance your own.     Steals the soft wind gently,     'Round th' enchanted spot,     Sets your bells a-ringing     Though we hear them not.     Idle Fancy wanders     As you shake and swing,     Our hearts shape the message     We would have you bring.     Dreams of happy Springtimes     We hope yet to share;     Vague, but pleasant visions     All to melt in air.     Children's merry voices     Break your witching spells,     Chubby hands are clasping     Languishing Blue-bells.     Gay and happy children     Hop and skip along,     With their ringing laughter,     Sweet as skylark's song.     Slowly soon I follow     Through the rustic lane,     But the sight that greets me     Gives me pang of pain.     Strewed upon the pathway,     Fairy Blue-bells lie,     Trampled, crushed and wilted,     Cast away to die.     Yet they lived not vainly     Though their life was brief,     Shedding gleams of gladness     O'er a world of grief.     And they taught a lesson, -     Rightly understood;     By their mute endeavour     Striving to do good.