Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE LILY, by DIGBY MACKWORTH DOLBEN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE LILY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Once, on the river banks we knew
Last Line: And wore it at the ball that night.
Alternate Author Name(s): Dolben, Digby Augustus Stewart Mackworth
Subject(s): Flowers; Lilies


ONCE, on the river banks we knew,
A child, who laughing ran to choose
A lily there, essayed to tread
The lawn of leaves that outward spread
To where the very fairest blew,
And slipped from love and life and light,
Into the shiny depth beneath;
While through the tangle and the ooze
Up bubbled all his little breath.
Above, the lilies calmly white
Were floating still at eventide,
When, as it chanced, a boat went down
Returning to the royal town,
Wherein a noble lady lay
Among the cushions dreamily,
Who leant above the gilded side
And plucked the flower carelessly,
And wore it at the ball that night.





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