| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 1515. Why Ye Blossome Cometh before Ye Leafe |
| | | By Oliver Herford |
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| ONCE hoary Winter chanced—alas! | |
| Alas! hys waye mistaking— | |
| A leafless apple-tree to pass | |
| Where Spring lay dreaming. “Fie, ye lass! | |
| Ye lass had best he waking,” | 5 |
| Quoth he, and shook hys robe, and, lo! | |
| Lo! forth didde flye a cloud of snowe. | |
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| Now in ye bough an elfe there dwelte, | |
| An elfe of wondrous powere, | |
| That when ye chillye snowe didde pelte, | 10 |
| With magic charm each flake didde melte, | |
| Didde melte into a flowere; | |
| And Spring didde wake and marvelle how, | |
| How blossomed so ye leafless bough. | |
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