Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE GARDEN OF ROSES, by JOHANN LUDWIG UHLAND


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE GARDEN OF ROSES, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Of the beautiful garden of roses
Last Line: "and the moon and the stars by night!"
Subject(s): Flowers; Gardens & Gardening; Roses


OF the beautiful Garden of Roses
I will sing, with your gracious leave
There the dames walked forth at morning,
And the heroes fought at eve.

"My Lord is King of the country,
But I am the Garden's Queen;
His crown with the red gold sparkles,
And mine with the rose's sheen.

"So hear me, ye youthful gallants,
My favorite guardsmen three;
The garden is free to the maidens,
To the knights it must not be.

"They would trample my beautiful roses,
And bring me trouble enow," --
Said the Queen, as she walked in the morning,
With the garland on her brow.

Then went the three young gallants
And guarded the gate about;
And peacefully blossomed the roses
And sent their odors out.

Now came three fair young maidens,
Virgins that knew not sin:
"Ye guardsmen, ye gallant three guardsmen,
Open, and let us in!"

And when they had gathered the roses,
They spake, with looks forlorn:
"What makes our hands so bloody
Is it the prick of the thorn?"

And still the three young gallants
Guarded the gate about,
And peacefully blossomed the roses,
And sent their odors out.

Now came upon prancing stallions
Three lawless knights, and cried:
"Ye guardsmen, ye surly three guardsmen,
Open the portal wide!"

"The portal is shut and bolted:
Our naked swords will teach
That the price of the roses is costly;
Ye must pay a wound for each!"

Then fought the knights and the gallants,
But the knights had the victory,
And the roses were torn and trampled,
And died with the guardsmen three.

And when the evening darkened,
The Queen came by with her train:
"Now that my roses are trampled
And my faithful guardsmen slain,

"I will lay them on leaves of roses,
And bury them solemnly:
And where was the Garden of Roses,
The Garden of Lilies shall be.

"But who will watch my lilies,
When their blossoms open white?
By day the sun shall be sentry,
And the moon and the stars by night!"





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