Queen of the Lilies

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All morning we rode through a wind gray with rain
That covers the tears that men shed for a queen
For she was as fair as the moonlight on lilies

Her birthright was laughter and loving and living
And evil the fortune that left her that day
With nothing but dreamers and lilies and rain

She smiled at me once as she cantered by
I remember her now through the mists of the rain
And then in this moment give thanks for the day

That brought me to serve such a glorious queen
And I thank the gods that let me keep living
In the mud of a world that still can grow lilies

Far above roses I've always loved lilies
Pale, tall and they're often passed by
For flowers more suited to our way of living

But sometimes in springtime and sometimes in rain
The heart has a need of a goddess or queen
And such was the need that I felt on that day

I left home and followed as night follows day
Followed the flag of my lady of lilies
And rode into war at the side of my queen

The people came out to watch us go by
We waved and they cheered and what is the rain
To an army of dreamers grown weary of living

But most of the world is made up of living
For more than an instant, an hour, a day
Be it ever so full of sunshine or rain

And it's hard to remember a loyalty to lilies
Hard to remember when she's passed on by
The face or the fate of a fortuneless queen

They say she was damned or else mad, our queen
But she gave us grace with her loving and living
And never have angels been closer to men

Or ridden to war as they did on that day
She led us to battle, in April, in rain
Laughing and singing and crowned all in lilies

One last homage to our queen at break of day
We betray her by living but we bring her lilies
And silent pass her by and leave her to the rain