| Hunt and Lee, comps. The Book of the Sonnet. 1867. | | | | V. To a Violet Found in December | | By Mrs. Elizabeth Clementine Kinney (1810–1889) |
| | | ILL-FATED Violet! opening thy blue eye | |
| In Winter’s face, who treacherous smiles, to see | |
| So fair a child, of parent such as he! | |
| And didst thou think in his chill lap to lie, | |
| Wrapt in the fallen mantle of the tree, | 5 |
| Secure as if Spring’s bosom cherished thee? | |
| Ah, little flower! thy doom must be to die | |
| By thine own sire, like Saturn’s progeny. | |
| In vain do human gentleness and love | |
| And breathing beauty hope to meet the soul | 10 |
| Through which a holy influence never stole. | |
| Though softening love the lion’s heart may move, | |
| It cannot make cold SELF itself forget; | |
| Nor canst thou Winter change, sweet Violet. | | | | |
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