FIVE FANCIES.

As tall as the lily, as tall as the rose,

And almost as tall as the hollyhocks,

Ranked breast to breast in sentinel rows

Stand the gladiola stocks.

And some are red as the humming-bird's blood

And some are pied as the butterfly race,

And each is shaped like a velvet hood

Gold-lined with delicate lace.

For you know the goblins that come like musk

To tumble and romp in the flowers’ laps,

When you see big fire-fly eyes in the dusk,

Hang there their goblin caps.