| Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22. | | | | Flags | | By H. L. Davis |
| | From “Primapara”
IN the wind the flags, which here are called irises, | |
| Snap and blow ragged all along the street. | |
| They are of three colors, yellow and white and blue. | |
| At this I am pleased as a man who sees strange ships, | |
| For the reason that in the country I recall | 5 |
| We had not heard of any but white flags. | |
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| There the white flags grew in a damp level place | |
| Where jonquils were, and daffodils and lilacs, | |
| And small cool roses; and hands of locust blossoms, | |
| And heavy-headed peonies, and a red flower | 10 |
| The women called red-hot poker, loud as a bull-rag. | |
| These flowers growing together in tall strong grass. | |
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| Sometimes the swallows flying; sometimes rain | |
| Came over the tall grass, and the small red rose | |
| (Its flowers as yet watched for) shed off the dust. | 15 |
| Sometimes it was windy, and the flags blew out; | |
| Or hot, and the jonquils under the lilac bush | |
| Built out in beauty like a clear warm river. | |
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| My pleasant thoughts build in colors and graceful shadows | |
| For this flower-garden: flags the color of far waters, | 20 |
| White locust flowers in the rain, young flowers in the grass. | |
| Play up a tune, sing loud and handsome, O soul! | |
| The garden abides, it is not like love, nor the song | |
| Where some lost girl brings honey in the horn. | | | | |
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