Classic Poem

Of a beautiful garden of roses
A lay for your pleasure I weave;
There roved fair maids in the morning,
There heroes struggled at eve.

“My lord, he is king of the country,
This garden of roses is mine;
He hath gotten a crown, all golden,
I, a garland of flowerets fine.

“So listen, ye youthful heroes,
Mine excellent watchmen three;
Here tender young girls may enter,
But knights must be bidden to flee:

For if they should spoil my roses,
My heart were with anguish torn.”
Thus the beautiful queen appointed
As she went from the garden at morn.

The watchmen three at the entrance
March faithfully to and fro;
The roses in silence scatter
Their perfume, and brightly glow.

Three tender young girls approach them,
With gentle and courteous grace:
“Ye watchmen, ye three good watchmen,
May we thro' the garden pace?”

The damsels some roses gathered,
Then thus all at once they spake:
“See, see how my hand is bleeding!
Such scratches can roses make?”

The watchmen three at the entrance
March faithfully to and fro;
The roses in silence scatter
Their perfume, and brightly blow.

Three blustering knights, naught fearing,
Right up to the entrance ride;
“Ye watchmen, ye three vile watchmen,
Now open the gates full wide!”

“The gates may remain close-fastened,
Our swords can we nimbly use;
The roses we guard are precious,
Each rosebud is worth one bruise.”

Then struggled the knights and watchmen,
With the knights did the conquest bide;
They trampled on all the blossoms,
With the roses the watchmen died.

And when it was now nigh sunset,
The queen came thither again;
“What? see I my roses perished,
My trusty young watchmen slain?

Their bodies, o'erstewn with rose-leaves,
I'll lay in an earthy tomb;
Where once was my sweet rose-garden,
A garden of lilies shall bloom.

But whom have I left as watchmen
To shield it from evil plight?
I have none but the sun by day-time,
The moon and the stars by night.”