R. O nobilissima viriditas,

que radicas in sole

et que in candida

serenitate

luces in rota

quam nulla terrena excellentia

comprehendit:

R. Tu circumdata es

amplexibus

divinorum ministeriorum.

V. Tu rubes ut aurora et ardes

ut solis flamma.

        Ego flos campi - Clemens non Papa (1510-1555)

Ego flos campi et lilium convallium.
Sicut lilium inter spinas sic amica mea inter filias
Sicut malus inter ligna silvarum,

sic dilectus meus inter filios
Fons hortorum puteus aquarum viventium quae fluunt impetu de Libano

        I vaghi fiori - Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594)

I vaghi fiori e l'amorose fronde
e l'erba e l'aria altrui diletto danno.
Porgon riposo gli antri e piacer l'onde,
levanno l'arme e gl'archi ogn'aspro affanno.
L'ombra soave al cor dolcezz 'infonde;
fuggir le gravi angosce l'aure fanno.
Lasso me!
che mia vita non restaura
fior, frond ', erb',
aria, antr ', ond', arm ',
arch', omb ', aura.

          Five Flower Songs - Benjamin Britten (1912-1976)

1. To daffodils

Fair daffodils, we weep to see

You haste away so soon;

As yet the early-rising sun

Has not attain'd his noon.

Stay, stay

Until the hasting day

Has run

But to [the] evensong,

And, having pray'd together, we

Will go with you along.

We have short time to stay, as you,

We have as short a spring;

As quick a growth to meet decay,

As you, or anything.

We die,

As your hours [do,] and dry

Away,

Like to the summer's rain,

Or as the pearls of morning's dew,

Ne'er to be found again.

3. Marsh flowers

Here the strong mallow strikes her slimy root,

Here the dull night-shade hangs her deadly fruit;

On hills of dust the henbane's faded green,

And pencill'd flower of sickly scent is seen;

Here on its wiry stem, in rigid bloom,

Grows the salt lavender that lacks perfume.

At the wall's base the fiery nettle springs,

With fruit globose and fierce with poison'd stings;

In every chink delights the fern to grow,

With glossy leaf and tawny bloom below:

The few dull flowers that o'er the place are spread

Partake the nature of their fenny bed.

These, with our sea-weeds, rolling up and down,

Form the contracted Flora of our town.

5. 
5. The Ballad of Green Broom  

There was an old man lived out in the wood,

And his trade was a-cutting of broom, green broom,

He had but one son without thought without good

Who lay in his bed till 't was noon, bright noon.

The old man awoke one morning and spoke,

He swore he would fire the room, that room,

If his John would not rise and open his eyes,

And away to the wood to cut broom, green broom.

So Johnny arose and slipp'd on his clothes

And away to the wood to cut broom, green broom,

He sharpen'd his knives, and for once he contrives

To cut a great bundle of broom, green broom.

When Johnny pass'd under a Lady's fine house,

Pass'd under a Lady's fine room, fine room,

She call'd to her maid: "Go fetch me," she said,

"Go fetch me the boy that sells broom, green broom!"

When Johnny came into the Lady's fine house,

And stood in the Lady's fine room, fine room,

"Young Johnny" she said, "Will you give up your trade

And marry a lady in bloom, full bloom?"

Johnny gave his consent, and to church they both went,

And he wedded the Lady in bloom, full bloom;

At market and fair, all folks do declare,

There's none like the Boy that sold broom, green broom.

R. O noblest green viridity,

rooted in the sun

and in the clear

bright calm

you shine within a wheel

no earthly excellence

can comprehend:

R. You are surrounded by

the embraces of the service,

the ministries divine.

V. As morning’s dawn you blush,

as sunny flame you burn.

I am the flower of the field, and the lily of the valleys.
As a lily among thorns, so is my love among women
As an apple tree among the trees of the woods,

so is my beloved among men

A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams flowing from Lebanon.

The beautiful flowers, the loving foliage
and the grass and air give delight.
The caves give rest and the waves pleasure,
They take away weapons, bows and every harsh anguish.
The soft shadow infuses sweetness to the heart;
The breeze lets bitter anxiety flee.
Poor me!
Because my life doesn't recover
by flowers, foliage, grass, air,
caves, waves, weapons or bows.

2. The succession of the four sweet months

First, April, she with mellow showers

Opens the way for early flowers,

Then after her comes smiling May

In a more rich and sweet array,

Next enters June and brings us more

Gems than those two that went before,

Then (lastly,) July comes and she

More wealth brings in than all those three;

April! May! June! July!

4. The evening primrose

When once the sun sinks in the west,

And dew-drops pearl the Evening's breast;

Almost as pale as moonbeams are,

Or its companionable star,

The Evening Primrose opes anew

Its delicate blossoms to the dew;

And hermit-like, shunning the light,

Wastes its fair bloom upon the Night;

Who, blindfold to its fond caresses,

Knows not the beauty he possesses.

Thus it blooms on while Night is by;

When Day looks out with open eye,

'Bashed at the gaze it cannot shun,

It faints, and withers, and is gone.

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