<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="" class="head">In Hendecasyllables<br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> Dying Lilies</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">O CHASTE queens of a fairy flow'ry kingdom,</p><p class="line">Beauteous progeny of the kindly sunshine</p><p class="line">And soft show'rs, ever In my heart the fragrance</p><p class="line">From you stealing awakes a dreamy vision</p><p class="line">Of things beautiful, olden, and eternal:</p><p class="line">Passing beautiful!--harmonies so dulcet</p><p class="line">That they give to me viewless happy pinions,</p><p class="line">On which soaring up into lofty temples,</p><p class="line">I drink Truth in a world of airy fancy.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Once you liv'd in a fairy flow'ry kingdom,</p><p class="line">Lov'd, and ruling it, innocently happy;</p><p class="line">Now more beautiful in the hour of old age</p><p class="line">You still breathe ev'ry perfume of the woodland,</p><p class="line">Drooping gracefully, like the last repining</p><p class="line">Of some sage who has help'd the weary people,</p><p class="line">And whose message at ending is the sweetest.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Untaught wisdom! (in all the fields of Eden</p><p class="line">No more lovely an emblem of Creation!)</p><p class="line">Your souls, dying, appear to sigh the knowledge,</p><p class="line">Heav'n-born, forth to the hearts of all around you,</p><p class="line">Breathing sympathy, calmness, and achievement.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">Queens, farewell! In an age when 'all the laughter's</p><p class="line">With pain fraught', when a wrinkled, angry brow shows</p><p class="line">Discontent ev'rywhere among my fellows,</p><p class="line">Sure 'tis good to devote a fleeting half-hour,</p><p class="line">O'er you musing upon the joys eternal . . .</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">And I hope in an after age to see you</p><p class="line">Still more joyfully grace the Heav'nly Gardens!</p></div><p><em>June</em>, 1911.</p></body></html> · Great War