| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| The Flower |
| | | Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron (1809–92) |
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| ONCE in a golden hour | |
| I cast to earth a seed. | |
| Up there came a flower, | |
| The people said, a weed. | |
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| To and fro they went | 5 |
| Thro’ my garden-bower, | |
| And muttering discontent | |
| Cur’d me and my flower. | |
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| Then it grew so tall | |
| It wore a crown of light, | 10 |
| But thieves from o’er the wall | |
| Stole the seed by night. | |
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| Sow’d it far and wide | |
| By every town and tower, | |
| Till all the people cried, | 15 |
| “Splendid is the flower.” | |
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| Read my little fable: | |
| He that runs may read. | |
| Most can raise the flowers now, | |
| For all have got the seed. | 20 |
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| And some are pretty enough, | |
| And some are poor indeed; | |
| And now again the people | |
| Call it but a weed. | |
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