The Seed Catalogs

                                   

My friend the seedsman thought of me

As usual this year;

And tho’ ‘tis far from planting time

     His catalogs are here.

Resplendent on front page and back,

     With veg’tables piled high;

If I coud raise such stuff as that

     My fame would reach the sky.

O, but ‘tis fine to sit at night

     And make the seed list out;

All these will do quite well upon

     My land without a doubt.

My neighbors they will be surprised

     To lean against my fence

And look upon, with envious eyes,

     My vegetables immense.

I’ll have a lot of corn and beans,

     Cucumbers long and green;

And lettuce, squash, tomatoes, peas –

     Such beet were never seen!

Eggplants, to take the place of hams,

     And melons big and sweet;

O, when I get my list made out

     It will be full complete.

Alas! For dreams of garden plots,

     Alas! For catalogs;

The vision I’d of veg’tables

     Must needs go to the dogs.

My daughter wants a croquet ground –

     I promised it, I know;

And so I’ll have to let, alas!

     My treasured garden go.

March 22, 1912