 | A Dream |  |
27
THE PROUD LILY.
Once in a dell did a proud lily grow,
Waving o'er all of the flowers a queen;
Stately and grand and as white as the snow,
Stateliest lily that ever was seen.
Fairer than even the sweetest bluebell,
Fairer than even the beautiful rose;
Fairer than all that had grown in the dell,
Gracefulest lily that ever arose.
Prouder she grew when she found she was queen;
Haughtily vain, did this proud lily reign;
Down in the dell where the song birds dwell.
Waving o'er all of the flowers a queen;
Stately and grand and as white as the snow,
Stateliest lily that ever was seen.
Fairer than even the sweetest bluebell,
Fairer than even the beautiful rose;
Fairer than all that had grown in the dell,
Gracefulest lily that ever arose.
Prouder she grew when she found she was queen;
Haughtily vain, did this proud lily reign;
Down in the dell where the song birds dwell.
Softly and gently the wind on her blew,
Hoping more graceful this lily could wave.
Stiffly this lily against the wind drew,
Willfully, carelessly, did the wind brave.
Sweetly the bluebell, so lowly and meek,
Cautioned this lily who stood far above,
Sweetly and gently her safety did seek,
Just like a sister with voice full of love:
“Sway with the wind that is waving the oak,
Sway with the wind that is moaning to you;
Gracefully wave,” thus the sweet bluebell spoke.
Hoping more graceful this lily could wave.
Stiffly this lily against the wind drew,
Willfully, carelessly, did the wind brave.
Sweetly the bluebell, so lowly and meek,
Cautioned this lily who stood far above,
Sweetly and gently her safety did seek,
Just like a sister with voice full of love:
28
Sway with the wind that is moaning to you;
Gracefully wave,” thus the sweet bluebell spoke.
Ne'er once she heeded the bluebell so kind,
Cruelly she scorned her with haughty disdain,
And would not bow with the hard blowing wind
Having the power to roll the wide main.
Moaned loud the rushes, and moaned loud the oak,
Sadly the aster drooped lowly her head;
Buttercups, hyacinths, daisies, ne'er spoke,
Knowing the truth that the bluebell had said.
Haughtily, stubbornly still she defied.
Gracefully rare and so stately and fair,
Was she soon broken and weeping, she died.
Cruelly she scorned her with haughty disdain,
And would not bow with the hard blowing wind
Having the power to roll the wide main.
Moaned loud the rushes, and moaned loud the oak,
Sadly the aster drooped lowly her head;
Buttercups, hyacinths, daisies, ne'er spoke,
Knowing the truth that the bluebell had said.
Haughtily, stubbornly still she defied.
Gracefully rare and so stately and fair,
Was she soon broken and weeping, she died.
| A Dream | |