THE ANEMONES OF THE PAMFILI DORI.
KNIGHT returned from Palestine—From the Holy wars he came,
The red-cross blazed upon his shield
And breast, in scarlet flame.
Within his mailèd glove he clasped
A flower of crimson hue,
From fields of Palestine it came,
In the Holy land it grew.
A flower of crimson hue,
From fields of Palestine it came,
In the Holy land it grew.
'Twas not for love of maiden, he
Had brought this flower so far,
To plant it here in Roman soil,
Christ's "blood-drop"[1] sacred, rare.
Had brought this flower so far,
To plant it here in Roman soil,
Christ's "blood-drop"[1] sacred, rare.
- ↑ The Anemones are called by the Oriental Christians "The Saviour's blood-drops," contrasting with the pagan myth, that Anemones are the blood-drops of Adonis.
