A comely sight indeed it is to see <br />A world of blossoms on an apple-tree: <br />Yet far more comely would this tree appear, <br />If all its dainty blooms young apples were. <br />But how much more might one upon it see, <br />If all would hang there till they ripe should be. <br />But most of all in beauty 'twould abound, <br />If then none worm-eaten should there be found. <br />But we, alas! do commonly behold <br />Blooms fall apace, if mornings be but cold. <br />They too, which hang till they young apples are, <br />By blasting winds and vermin take despair, <br />Store that do hang, while almost ripe, we see <br />By blust'ring winds are shaken from the tree, <br />So that of many, only some there be, <br />That grow till they come to maturity. <br /> <br />Comparison. <br /> <br />This tree a perfect emblem is of those <br />Which God doth plant, which in his garden grows, <br />Its blasted blooms are motions unto good, <br />Which chill affections do nip in the bud. <br />Those little apples which yet blasted are, <br />Show some good purposes, no good fruits bear. <br />Those spoiled by vermin are to let us see, <br />How good attempts by bad thoughts ruin'd be. <br />Those which the wind blows down, while they are green, <br />Show good works have by trials spoiled been. <br />Those that abide, while ripe upon the tree, <br />Show, in a good man, some ripe fruit will be. <br />Behold then how abortive some fruits are, <br />Which at the first most promising appear. <br />The frost, the wind, the worm, with time doth show, <br />There flows, from much appearance, works but few.<br /><br />John Bunyan<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/on-promising-fruitfulness-of-a-tree/
