Chickweed.

Chickweed.
With tiny stars of white as pure as snow,

Coming before the Stitchwort, and to me,
Like it, an emblem of sweet innocency;
Their flowers, too, much alike,—only now
We see the Chickweed’s is a smaller star, 5
And the whole plant is very different;
We must not dream that it on earth was sent
For no wise purpose; for its cool leaves are,
Not merely food for fowls, but useful when
Applied alike to sores of man and beast. 10
Were we more wise, we’d ne’er despise the least
Work o’ the Almighty Architect. Then,
But not till then, we will be sure to find
The humblest weed of use to body and to mind.

George Markham Tweddell
[Sonnets on Trees and Flowers, p. 55]