Social Commentaries

XII. Flower-Girl

by William Ernest Henley 1849–1903

From Hawthorn and Lavender, with Other Verses

Social CommentariesNature

There's never a delicate nurseling of the year
But our huge LONDON hails it, and delights
To wear it on her breast or at her ear,
Her days to colour and make sweet her nights.
Crocus and daffodil and violet,
Pink, primrose, valley-lily, clove-carnation,
Red rose and white rose, wall-flower, mignonette,
The daisies all--these be her recreation,
Her gaudies these! And forth from DRURY LANE,
Trapesing in any of her whirl of weathers,
Her flower-girls foot it, honest and hoarse and vain,
All boot and little shawl and wilted feathers:
Of populous corners right advantage taking,
And, where they squat, endlessly posy-making.

MLA

Henley, William Ernest. “XII. Flower-Girl.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/henley/183/.

Chicago

Henley, William Ernest. “XII. Flower-Girl.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/henley/183/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by William Ernest Henley