Queen Summer, Walter Crane
Queen Summer
Walter Crane
Category: Children
Genres: Poetry,Fairytale,Fantasy
Level 1.855:00 m2.6 mb
In a beautiful garden, Queen Summer watches over all the flowers. One day, the Rose and the Lily want to see who is the best flower. They both put on shiny armor and get ready for a big battle to win Queen Summer’s favor.

Queen Summer

or the Tourney
of the Lily & the Rose

penned & portrayed
by Walter Crane

Queen Summer
Queen Summer

When Summer on the earth was queen
She held her court in gardens green
Fair hung with tapestry of leaves,
Where threads of gold the sun enweaves
With checquered patterns on the floor
Of velvet lawns the scythe smoothes o’er:
Their waving fans the soft winds spread
Each way to cool Queen Summer’s head:
The woodland dove made music soft,
And Eros touched his lute full oft.

Queen Summer

Round Time’s dial thronged the hours,
Masking in the Masque of Flowers

Queen Summer

Like knights and ladies fair be-dight
In silk attire, both red and white.

Queen Summer

And as the winds about them played,
And shook the flowers or disarrayed,

Queen Summer

A whispered word among them goes
Of how the Lily flouts the Rose,

Queen Summer

Suitors for Summer’s favor dear,
To win the crown of all the year —
And how each champion brave would fight,
Queen Summer to decide the right.

Queen Summer

Then shrill the wind-winged heralds blew;
The lists were set in Summer’s view,

Queen Summer

With blazoned shields, & pennons spruce
Of fluttering flag & fleur-de-luce:

Queen Summer

And spread with ‘broidered hangings gay,
Till all was ready for the fray.

Queen Summer

Between their banners white and red,
Of Rose and Lily overhead,
Queen Summer took her judgment seat,
Whom all the crowd of flowers did greet.

Queen Summer

The silver arum-trumpet’s sound
With tongues of gold, & to the ground
The shining champions each did ride,
Their party-colours flaunting wide.

Queen Summer

Came first the glowing Rose in view,
With crimson pennon fluttering new;
With glittering spines all armed he came,
With lance and shield — a rose aflame;
With tossing crest and mantling free,
On fiery steed, — a sight to see!

Queen Summer

Nor long the Lily knight delayed;
In silver armour white arrayed,
He flashed like light upon the scene,
A lamp amid the garden green.
Milk-white his horse, & housings fair
With silver lilies shining there.

Queen Summer

The summer winds the onset blew:
With level lance each champion flew,

Queen Summer

And clashed together, mid a snow
Of petals on the grass below.

Queen Summer

Pressed eager then the gazing rows:
Some cried, “the Lily”, some, “the Rose”
But while the fate of battle hung,
Again the silver trumpets sung;

Queen Summer

And, sudden charging from each side,
Of Roses and of Lilies ride
A host to still maintain the strife
For roses or for lilies’ life.

Queen Summer

Rose favoured knights of maidens true,
Their pennons blushing with each hue
Of Rose-craft, since from wild thorn frail
Their order grew — through dark & pale
Of maiden-bloom to damask deep,
Or Gloire-de-Dijon that doth keep
Enfolded fire within his breast,
Still golden hearted like the rest.

Queen Summer

Like a cloud of morn they bore,
Or rosy wave on grassy shore,
That, breaking, dashed the silver spray
Thay met — the Lily-lances play;
In crested legends on that came
Against them — snow & burning flame
Mixing with the crimson flood
Of roses & their fragrant blood,

Queen Summer

Whereof the grass undue was rife,
As surged & rolled the floral strife,
With checquered fortune o’er the green,
Until at last up-rose the Queen:

Queen Summer

And caused the zephyr horns to blow
A truce, the victor’s crown to show.
But like a garland on the ground
Of roses & of lilies found,
So linked & locked in strife they lay
Each silver stem & clinging spray,

Queen Summer

The doughty champions could not rise
Before the Queen to claim her prize.
So to the field of battle down
She stepped, with rose & lily crown
Of silver & of gold fair wrought;
And thus Queen Summer spake her thought:

Queen Summer

And to each warrior thus did say:
Read in the fortune of your fray
Fit emblem sweet of unity,
Nor Rose nor Lily plant on high,
But side by side in equal right,
And pleasant cheer the Red & White:

Queen Summer

That men & maids be glad to see,
Always in pleasant company,

Queen Summer

Life & Love close linked together,
And strong to bear times’ wintry weather

Queen Summer

Love not consumed in passion’s heart
But golden flamed & stedfast, sweet:

Queen Summer

Time’s snows shall quench not, though they hide:
Each spring renews the rosy tide: