In April dogwood stars went out In many a woodland glade; The redbud’s flame Was quenched in shame, By wanton vandals’ raid.
Now, rhododendron, lordly—proud, And laurel, dainty—gay, Must meet the doom Of plants that bloom Along the state highway.
O, you who love the green that lives, The flowers that come and go; Arise and save These gifts God gave From those who use them so.
Heinzerling writes as someone who has watched woodland flowers disappear and wants readers to do something about it. In the first stanza, dogwood and redbud blossoms are described as stars and flames that have been put out by "wanton vandals," people who strip the trees for no good reason. The second stanza turns to rhododendron and laurel, which seem headed for the same fate, especially the ones growing beside the state highway, where they are easy to reach and easy to take.
The speaker's feeling moves from sorrow to anger to urgency. The words "shame," "doom," and "wanton" make the damage sound like a moral failing, not an accident. The last stanza turns directly to the reader, calling on anyone who loves living green things to "arise and save" them. Its mention of "gifts God gave" frames wildflowers as something to be protected, not owned. The mood is mournful but pointed: a gentle poem with a firm message.