George Gershwin — In the Mandarins Orchid Garden

Somehow by fate misguided A buttercup resided In the Mandarin's orchid garden A buttercup that did not grace The loveliness of such a place And so it simply shriveled up And begged each orchid's pardon Poor little buttercup In the orchid garden The bees came buzzing daily And kissed the orchids gaily In the Mandarin's orchid garden The buttercup sighed logningly But love was not for such as she And so one day it shriveled up And died, still begging pardon Poor little buttercup In the orchid garden I, too, have been misguided Too long have I resided In the Mandarin's orchid garden And though for friendliness I yearn I do not know which way to turn How long must I keep shriv'ling up And beg each lady's pardon? A lonely buttercup In the orchid garden