Madison Julius Cawein

The Gladiolas

As tall as the lily, as tall as the rose,
 And almost as tall as the hollyhocks,
Ranked breast to breast in sentinel rows
 Stand the gladiola stocks.

And some are red as the humming-bird's blood
 And some are pied as the butterfly race,
And each is shaped like a velvet hood
 Gold-lined with delicate lace.

For you know the goblins that come like musk
 To tumble and romp in the flowers' laps,
When you see big fire-fly eyes in the dusk,
 Hang there their goblin caps.