Maiden May Christina Rossetti

Maiden May sat in her bower,
In her blush rose bower in flower,
                Sweet of scent;
Sat and dreamed away an hour,
        Half content, half uncontent.

"Why should rose blossoms be born,
Tender blossoms, on a thorn
                Though so sweet?
Never a thorn besets the corn
        Scentless in its strength complete.

"Why are roses all so frail,
At the mercy of the gale,
                Of a breath?
Yet so sweet and perfect pale,
        Still so sweet in life and death."

Maiden May sat in her bower,
In her blush rose bower in flower,
                Where a linnet
Made one bristling branch the tower
        For her nest and young ones in it.

"Gay and clear the linnet trills;
Yet the skylark only, thrills
                Heaven and earth
When he breasts the height, and fills
        Height and depth with song and mirth.