Nature

"Innocent Child And Snow-White Flower."

by William Cullen Bryant 1794–1878

Nature

Innocent child and snow-white flower!
Well are ye paired in your opening hour.
Thus should the pure and the lovely meet,
Stainless with stainless, and sweet with sweet.
White as those leaves, just blown apart,
Are the folds of thy own young heart;
Guilty passion and cankering care
Never have left their traces there.
Artless one! though thou gazest now
O'er the white blossom with earnest brow,
Soon will it tire thy childish eye;
Fair as it is, thou wilt throw it by.
Throw it aside in thy weary hour,
Throw to the ground the fair white flower;
Yet, as thy tender years depart,
Keep that white and innocent heart.

MLA

Bryant, William Cullen. “"Innocent Child And Snow-White Flower.".” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/bryant/71/.

Chicago

Bryant, William Cullen. “"Innocent Child And Snow-White Flower.".” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/bryant/71/.

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