Arcadian Hymn to Flora

O smile upon us, goddess fair and true,
And watch the flowers till summer's reign is o'er;
Preserve the seeds we sow in winter-time
From burrowing moles, and blight, and icy rime,
And in their season cause the shoots to rise,
And make the dainty buds unseal their eyes;
And we will pluck the rarest, and entwine
Chaplets, and lay them on thy rural shrine,
And sing our choral hymns, melodious, sweet,
And dance with nimble feet..

Richard Stoddard - late 19th century American poet.

Flora is, of course, the Roman goddess of fruit and flowers.

5 year old grandson, Isaac, has suddenly developed an interest in Greek mythology. So I’m preparing for the progress to Roman.