Poems (Forrest)/Climbing sweet-pea

by Mabel Forrest

CLIMBING SWEET-PEA

The salmon-tinted sweet-pea lies
 Round the foundations of your home,
And there are purple wings and mauve
 And creamy shades, and white as foam,
And rosy pink. I think some night,
So are they quivering for their flight,

They will rise on the cords of green,
 These fragile, lovely tendrilled things,
And bear your house away with them
 Upon a thousand perfumed wings,
Upward and upward till they find
The slow brown earth is left behind.

There will they set your little house
 So, when you lean to look for me,
Across the lintel, only sky
 And paths of stars your eyes will see.
Oh, beg the flowers to leave a rope
Of stems for me, that I may hope

To tie my heart upon the end
 That straggles nearest to the earth.
My heart is such a human thing,
 In Heaven, it must be little worth;
But you, secure all need above,
May want a little human love.

Always when morning comes I look
 Across the space of grass and dew
For that peaked roof, that small red door,
 That is my best beloved view;
Always I yearn to ease my fright
Lest you were blown to God last night

Upon the mounting wings of flowers!
 Sweet-pea all ivory and foam
And mauve and pink that cluster close
 Round the foundations of your home—
They are to me such pulsing things,
So ready to be turned to wings.