The Guest is gold and crimson－1
An Opal guest and gray－
Of Ermine is his doublet－
His Capuchin gay－
He reaches town at nightfall－5
He stops at every door－
Who looks for him at morning
I pray him too－explore
The Lark's pure territory－
Or the Lapwing's shore!
An Opal guest and gray－
Of Ermine is his doublet－
His Capuchin gay－
He reaches town at nightfall－5
He stops at every door－
Who looks for him at morning
I pray him too－explore
The Lark's pure territory－
Or the Lapwing's shore!
(F.44/J.15)
[1–3] Ermine:: ermine moth, its cream-colored wings with black spots resembling an ermine coat.
[5, 6] reaches, nightfall, door:: light will attract the ermine moth.
[7] looks, morning:: cleans up the moth's webs and larvae, for moth's larvae defoliate garden plants.
[8–10] pray, explore, Lark, Lapwing:: she wishes lark or lapwing can reduce them. Ermine moth is considered a pest.
We may give to it the name of the Virginia ermine-moth. It is white, with a black point on the middle of the fore-wings, and two black dots on the hind-wings, one on the middle and the other near the posterior angle, much more distinct on the under than on the upper side; ─ The Farmer's Encyclopedia (1844)