| Jessie B. Rittenhouse, ed. (1869–1948). The Second Book of Modern Verse. 1922. |
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| Orchard |
| | | Hilda Doolittle (H. D.) (1886–1961) |
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| I SAW the first pear | |
| As it fell— | |
| The honey-seeking, golden-banded, | |
| The yellow swarm | |
| Was not more fleet than I, | 5 |
| (Spare us from loveliness) | |
| And I fell prostrate | |
| Crying: | |
| You have flayed us | |
| With your blossoms, | 10 |
| Spare us the beauty | |
| Of fruit-trees. | |
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| The honey-seeking | |
| Paused not, | |
| The air thundered their song, | 15 |
| And I alone was prostrate. | |
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| O rough-hewn | |
| God of the orchard, | |
| I bring you an offering— | |
| Do you, alone unbeautiful, | 20 |
| Son of the god, | |
| Spare us from loveliness: | |
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| These fallen hazel-nuts, | |
| Stripped late of their green sheaths, | |
| Grapes, red-purple, | 25 |
| Their berries | |
| Dripping with wine, | |
| Pomegranates already broken, | |
| And shrunken figs | |
| And quinces untouched, | 30 |
| I bring you as offering. | |
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