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.

Round Time's dial thronged the hours,

Masking in the Masque of Flowers

Like knights and ladies fair be-dight

In silk attire, both red and white.

And as the winds about them played,

And shook the flowers or disarrayed,

A whispered word among them goes

Of how the Lily flouts the Rose,

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.

Then shrill the wind-winged heralds blew;

The lists were set in Summer's view,