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]

Sweet Violets. (Viola odorata.)

Sweet Violets.
(Viola odorata.)
I.
Before her scentless sister,* in the Spring,
Comes the Sweet Violet, which has ever been
The emblem of true modesty, I ween,
With many a poet who has loved to sing
Of rural life: and I delight to bring 5
My humble tribute to the lovely queen
Of early flowers nest’ling ‘midst the green
Grass ‘neath our hedge-rows; whilst the lark doth fling
Her music from the sky, to welcome all
The sights of beauty which are now unfurl’d 10
To gladden living things throughout the world.
And wisely did our old forefathers call
Conserve of Violets a good remedy
For many a pulmonary malady.
II.
I know no perfume we can truly call 15
More delicate than Sweet Violets yield,
In all the scents of garden, woodland field,
And it is prized alike in cot and hall
By rich and poor. For Nature’s gifts are free
To all her children, if they but prossess 20
Minds open to receive things sent to bless
Each member of the human family.
And not to them alone confined, but sent
To minister to the happiness of all,
Birds, beasts and insects, on this earthly ball. 25
Think not alone for man all things are meant:
The humblest creature to its Maker’s dear,
Through all the changing seasons of the year.

George Markham Tweddell
* The Viola canina or Dog Violet.
[Sonnets on Trees and Flowers, pp. 56-57]
205

Coltsfoot (Tusilago farfara)

Coltsfoot
(Tusilago farfara)

Bonny small flowret, with the golden hair,
Coming, like Butterbur and the Black Thorn,
With bloom before the leaves, helping ’t adorn
The earth with beauty when flowers are rare;
Welcome to Spring time! Wisely ’t is ordain’d 5
That in succession all the year flowers come
In grand variety, making earth the home
Of happiness, to all who are not chain’d
Down to the dust by ignorance and sin.
And when thy cotton-down lined leaves come forth, 10
They have their healing value on this earth,
Where no weed grows that ne’er contains within
Its veins some remedy for bodily ills,
And thus its Maker’s purpose faithfully fulfils.

George Markham Tweddell
[Sonnets on Trees and Flowers, pp. 49-50]

To the Mountain Ash, or Rowan Tree. (Pyrus aucuparia.)

To the Mountain Ash, or Rowan Tree.

(Pyrus aucuparia.)
Centuries before the Shamrock had become
The symbol of old Erin, thy berries red,
Borne on its banners, had shone overhead
Whenever their fierce warriors did charge home.
Long before Cæsar cross’d the Rubicon, 5
They form’d the standard of their chivalry,
Whose knighthood took their proudest name from thee:*
And now in peace we love to look upon
Thy white flowers in the Spring, and watch to see
How thy bright berries i’ Autumn can adorn 10
Thy fine green branches. One can scarcely scorn
Those who believed thou could from witchcraft free:
What fiend can injure those who always find
Beauty and good around then unconfined!

George Markham Tweddell
* The Craobh Ruadh, or Red Branch, so called because the
knights of Fianna Eirinn, or army of Erin, bore a branch of
the Mountain Ash, with its scarlet berries, on their standard.
[Sonnets on Trees and Flowers, p. 59]

Ground Ivy. (Glechoma hederacy.)

Ground Ivy.
(Glechoma hederacy.)
Flora adorns our paths where’er we tread,

And Springtime seems to always gladden all—
Insect to men. Pleasances that never pall
Freely for all with life are widely spread.
See the Wild Ivy, Run-along-the-Ground, 5
Ale-hoof, or Tun-hoof, (by such names we call
The pretty creeper,) once in cot and hall
Prized for its power to make the ailing sound,
And erst by brewers to improve their ale.
Its leaves of kindney[1] shape, and purple flowers 10
Peeping from their square stem, to me are wooers
To love their modest beauty; and I hail
The humblest Wildflower in my walks I meet
As old friend whom I rejoice to greet.

George Markham Tweddell
[Sonnets on Trees and Flowers, p. 60]
[[1] sic]

Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) - George Markham Tweddell

Tansy
(Tanacetum vulgare.)

To gather Tansy calls up once again
My boyish rambles threescore years ago,
When in my native Cleveland I did go
Strolling by the bosky beck, down rustic lane,
On flower-deckt footpath, where my fingers fain 5
Would fill themselves with those delightful things
To youth, which Flora in her bounty flings
To all—alas! to most adults in vain.
E’en now I love the fragrant vermifuge; to me
Its golden buttons yet are beautiful; 10
And in old age I well delight to pull
And hand it to my grandbairns, and to see
Them prize it too: for whate’er gives them pleasure,
To my poor simple mind seems something I would treasure.


George Markham Tweddell
[Sonnets on Trees and Flowers, p. 61]

Hawthorn Blossom - George Markham Tweddell

Hawthorn Blossom.
I love to loiter, towards the end of May,
Among the hedge-rows, in some rustic spot;
Where hands of Innovation, thanks, have not
Curtail’d each bush; for then they are gay
With glorious greenery, and from every spray 5
Of Hawthorn comes a perfume to delight
The sense of smell, give pleasure to the sight,—
A something to remember well for aye!
“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever,”
As Keats most truly sang. Who can forget 10
The fragrance of the Hawthorn smelt as yet
No carking cares had ever come to sever
Our hearts from Nature’s holy ministry?
The best of all our teachers ever she!

George Markham Tweddell
[Sonnets on Trees and Flowers, p. 62] Also published in
The Masonic Review, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S., May, 1892.