146 
Floral Poetry. 
THE STAR AND THE WATER-LILY. 
J^XHE Sun stepped down from his golden throne, 
* And lay in the silent sea, 
And the Lily had folded her satin leaves, 
For a sleepy thing was she : 
What is the Lily dreaming of? 
Why crisp the waters blue ? 
See, see, she is lifting her varnished lid ! 
Her white leaves are glistening through ! 
The Rose is cooling his burning cheek 
In the lap of the breathless tide ; 
The Lily hath sisters fresh and fair, 
That would lie by the Rose’s side : 
He would love her better than all the rest; 
And he would be fond and true; 
But the Lily unfolded her weary lids, 
And looked at the sky so blue. 
“ Remember, remember, thou silly one, 
How fast will thy Summer glide, 
And wilt thou wither a virgin pale, 
Or flourish a blooming bride ? ” 
“ Oh, the Rose is old, and thorny and cold, 
And he lives on earth,” said she ; 
“ But the Star is fair, and he lives in the air, 
And he shall my bridegroom be.” 
“But what if the stormy cloud should come, 
And ruffle the silver sea? 
