Cy est Pourtraicte, Madame Ste Ursule, et les Unze Mille Vierges

Ursula, in a garden, found

A bed of radishes.

She kneeled upon the ground

And gathered them,

With flowers around,

Blue, gold, pink, and green.

She dressed in red and gold brocade

And in the grass an offering made

Of radishes and flowers.

She said, "My dear,

Upon your altars,

I have placed

The marguerite and coquelicot,

And roses

Frail as April snow;

But here," she said,

"Where none can see,

I make an offering, in the grass,

Of radishes and flowers."

And then she wept

For fear the Lord would not accept.

The good Lord in His garden sought

New leaf and shadowy tinct,

And they were all His thought.

He heard her low accord,

Half prayer and half ditty,

And He felt a subtle quiver,

That was not heavenly love,

Or pity.

This is not writ

In any book.