Landon in The Literary Gazette 1824/Faded Flowers
Literary Gazette, 25th December, 1824, Pages 825-826
FADED FLOWERS.
Lingers yet a perfum'd breath
Even mid these flowers' death?
Once on these dry leaves was red,
Like that o'er the ruby shed;
Yellow, like the serpentine
Of the rainbow's softest line;
Blue, like that of April's sky;
Purple, like the Tyrian dye;
Not one hue is left, of all
That lighted up this coronal!
Were it not for the perfume,
Haunting, like a ghost, their tomb,
Who would dream that they had been
Fairies of a summer scene!
Passing thus with time away,
The sweet gifts of youth decay;
Fleet their blooms, thus one by one,
Till their very form is gone;
Memory left but to declare
How beautiful and sweet they were!
In the first blue noon of Spring,
Who can think on withering?
Sear'd leaf and scentless flower
Seem'd but made for Autumn's hour;
Yet how much of blight and doom
Mingles with May's breath and bloom!
And the faded blossoms fall
As November ruled them all.
Youth and spring are both alike;
Flowers rise and pleasures strike—
These, to fade, and those to be
Nothing in reality—
Till the heart is like a bed,
But, with yellow leaves o'erspread;
With the faintest odour left,
As to make them more bereft;
By recalling what they were,
And yet being what they are!