Wild flowers of Australia [poem by Caroline Carleton, 9 September 1922]

[Editor: A poem by Caroline Carleton, author of “Song of Australia”, taken from a biographical article.]

Wild flowers of Australia.

By Mrs. C. J. Carleton.

Oh, say not that no perfume dwells
The wilding flowers among;
Say not that in the forest dells
Is heard no voice of song.

The air is laden with the scent
Borne from the clustering flower
With which the wattle is besprent,
Like Danae’s golden shower.

And silvery wattles bending low
Sweet incense scatter far,
When light winds kiss the pensile bough
Beneath the evening star.

And forest flowers of varying dye,
Now white, now blushing red,
In modest beauty charm the eye,
And fragrant odours shed.

There’s perfume breathed from Austral flowers,
And melody is there —
Not such as in far Albion’s bowers,
Falls on the accustomed ear.

But thrilling snatches of wild song,
Poured forth from lonely glen,
Where winds the hidden creek along,
Far from the haunts of men.

And hoarser notes in wild woods heard
Sound like strange harmonies,
As flashes past the bright winged bird,
Gleaming in azure skies.

Then say not that no perfume dwells
The wilding flowers among.
Say not that in the forest dells
Is heard no voice of song.

Source:
The Register (Adelaide, SA), Saturday 9 September 1922, page 4

Editor’s notes:
Danae = in Greek mythology, Danae was a daughter of King Acrisius and Queen Eurydice of Argos; prophecy had foretold that Acrisius would be killed by his daughter’s son, so Acrisius locked Danae up in a tower so that she would never have a child, but Zeus appeared to Danae in the form of golden rain and made her pregnant