Gratitude — (To A. T.)
The oleander blooms for me,
In dawning splendrous beauty,
I planted it so tenderly,
And love has done its duty.
All in a garden of the earth,
All in a plot of ground,
Wherein I found no bit of worth,
The seed I planted in the ground.
O Tiny seed almost unworthy
To be cherished for thy looks,
But deep within the heart of you
Was wisdom never found in books.
You are the spirit of the good,
The joy, the beauty of all things,
You are the melody of life—the song
That Mother Nature sings.
And so to that sweet lullaby
You, in your perfumed cradle, rest
Safe in the arms of Mother Earth,
Held closely to her loving breast.
Until one happy wondrous day
When love so tenderly drew nigh,
Lifted your tiny hand of green
And turned your face toward the sky.
The oleander blooms for me,
In dawning splendrous beauty,
I planted it so tenderly
And love has done its duty.