The Supercilious Seed

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 24, 1900

A LITTLE seed lay in the ground, And soon began to sprout; “Now which of all the flowers around,” It mused, “shall I come out?”

“The lily’s face is fair and proud, But just a trifle cold; The rose, I think, is rather loud, And, then, its fashion’s old.

“The violet is very well, But not a flower I’d choose; Nor yet the canterbury-bell— I never cared for blues.

“Petunias are by far too bright, And vulgar flowers besides; The primrose only blooms at night, And peonies spread too wide.”

And so it criticised each flower, This supercilious seed; Until it woke one summer hour And found itself a weed.

—Selected.