London Types Flower-Girl

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, close-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.