---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Herrick
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 2
number: 7
published: 1899-05
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Herrick, "To Blossoms: A Poem," *Improvement Era* 2, no. 7 (May 1899): 526.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera27unse
start_page: 526
end_page: 526
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1899-05)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27unse
  publication_year: 1899
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1899, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# To Blossoms: A Poem

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526                       IMPROVEMENT ERA.

physical, intellectual,   social,   moral, or spiritual; but religious in
the narrow, sectarian view of the idea         —   this,   as   I   conceive   it,

Heaven is not. On the contrary. Heaven to me means, not a narrowing, but an expanding of the interests and activities of mankind   —a sort of earth-life    infinitely   extended in every positive
direction; not   a rest from truth-getting, but a rest from sinenslaving.    Heaven is harmony with the universe, not on the side
of spirituality alone, but on every side that the universe can touch
man.

                            TO BLOSSOMS.

                  Fair pledges of a fruitful tree,
                  Why do you fall so fast?
                  Your date is not so past;
                  But you may stay here yet awhile,
                  To blush and gently smile;
                      And go at last.

                  What were ye born to be.
                  An hour or half's delight.
                  And so to bid good night?
                  'Twas pity nature brought ye forth
                  Merely to show your worth
                       And lose you quite.

                  But you are lovely leaves, where we
                  May read how soon things have
                  Their end, though ne'er so brave;
                  And after they have spoken their pride
                  Like you awhile, they guide
                      Into the grave.
                                                           Herrick.