Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE LILY, by MARY TIGHE Poet's Biography First Line: How withered, perish'd seems the form / of yon obscure unsightly root Last Line: Eternal spring! Shall burst the gloom. Alternate Author Name(s): Blachford, Mary Subject(s): Flowers; Lilies | ||||||||
How wither'd, perish'd, seems the form Of yon obscure unsightly root! Yet from the blight of wintry storm, It hides secure the precious fruit. The careless eye can find no grace, No beauty in the scaly folds, Nor see within the dark embrace What latent loveliness it holds. Yet in that bulb, those sapless scales, The lily wraps her silver vest, Till vernal suns and vernal gales Shall kiss once more her fragrant breast. Yes, hide beneath the mouldering heap The undelighting slighted thing; There in the cold earth buried deep, In silence let it wait the Spring. Oh! many a stormy night shall close In gloom upon the barren earth, While still in undisturb'd repose, Uninjur'd lies the future birth; And Ignorance, with sceptic eye, Hope's patient smile shall wondering view; Or mock her fond credulity, As her soft tears the spot bedew. Sweet smile of hope, delicious tear, The sun, the shower indeed shall come; The promis'd verdant shoot appear, And nature bid her blossoms bloom. And thou, O virgin Queen of Spring! Shalt from thy dark and lowly bed, Bursting thy green sheath's silken string, Unveil thy charms, and perfume shed; Unfold thy robes of purest white, Unsullied from their darksome grave, And thy soft petals' flowery light In the mild breeze unfetter'd wave. So Faith shall seek the lowly dust, Where humble Sorrow loves to lie, And bid her thus her hopes entrust, And watch with patient cheerful eye. And bear the long, cold, wintry night, And bear her own degraded doom, And wait till Heaven's reviving light, Eternal Spring! shall burst the gloom. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...NUNS PAINTING WATER-LILIES by WALLACE STEVENS THE SECRET GARDEN by ELEANOR WILNER THE CLOTE (WATER-LILY) by WILLIAM BARNES THE LILY, FR. SONGS OF EXPERIENCE by WILLIAM BLAKE THE MARIPOSA LILY by INA DONNA COOLBRITH TO A LILY by JAMES MATHEWES LEGARE THE WATER-LILY by JOHN BANISTER TABB ADDRESS TO MY HARP by MARY TIGHE ON RECEIVING A BRANCH OF MEZEREON WHICH FLOWERED AT WOODSTOCK by MARY TIGHE |
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