Classic Poem

<p>Love came to Flora asking for a flower<br />That would of flowers be undisputed queen,<br />The lily and the rose, long, long had been<br />Rivals for that high honour. Bards of power<br />Had sung their claims. &quot; The rose can never tower<br />Like the pale lily with her Juno mien &quot; &mdash; &quot;<br />But is the lily lovelier? &quot; Thus between<br />Flower-factions rang the strife in Psyche&#39;s bower.</p><p>&quot; Give me a flower delicious as the rose<br />And stately as the lily in her pride &quot; &mdash; &quot; But of what colour? &quot; &mdash; &quot; Rose-red, &quot; Love first chose,<br />Then prayed, &mdash; &quot; No, lily-white, &mdash; or, both provide; &quot;<br />And Flora gave the lotus, &quot; rose-red &quot; dyed,<br />And &quot; lily-white, &quot; &mdash; the queenliest flower that blows.</p>