Mad Patsy said, he said to me, That every morning he could see An angel walking on the sky; Across the sunny skies of morn He threw great handfuls far and nigh Of poppy seed among the corn; And then, he said, the angels run To see the poppies in the sun.
A poppy is a devil weed, I said to him - he disagreed; He said the devil had no hand In spreading flowers tall and fair Through corn and rye and meadow land, by garth and barrow everywhere: The devil has not any flower, But only money in his power.
And then he stretched out in the sun And rolled upon his back for fun: He kicked his legs and roared for joy Because the sun was shining down: He said he was a little boy And would not work for any clown: He ran and laughed behind a bee, And danced for very ecstasy.
Text authorship
by James Stephens , "In the poppy field", from Reincarnations