Good news! If you’ve ever “had your surfeit of poetical whimsy and are ready for some good, hard facts,” there’s now a place to turn: Mr. Gradgrind’s Literal Answers to Rhetorical Questions.
Where have all the flowers gone?
Generally the petals of the flowering parts of plants wither and fall off to decay in the surrounding soil while the remainder is converted into fruiting bodies. However, the blossoms of early-flowering fruit trees such as plums and cherries are particularly subject to the destructive effects of spring rains.
Brilliant.
