THREE lilies grew in a garden That looked upon the sea; These lilies white, they had a right To be beloved of me. I ask no man a pardon That, all within my garden, I loved those lilies three. Three men came in my garden, Three men from o'er the sea; One black as night, one gold-bedight, And one that looked at me, And praised my growing garden: I ask my God for pardon, I loved him of the three. Strange things come out of the sea: I loved him well, ah me! There came a wind that blights the kind Of flowers lilies be. Mary, Mother of charity, Now I pray for pardon: Here, within my garden, Sin came unto me; Mother, I call to thee; Right the rue that came unto The lily-blooms and me! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LWONESOMENESS by WILLIAM BARNES A FRAGMENT by GEORGE GORDON BYRON A FARM PICTURE by WALT WHITMAN THE STOLEN CHILD by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS THE CUCKOO by ALEXANDER ANDERSON WORLDLY PLACE by MATTHEW ARNOLD |