The blessed damozel leaned out
    From the gold bar of Heaven;
Her eyes were deeper than the depth
    Of waters stilled at even;
She had three lilies in her hand,
    And the stars in her hair were seven.
Her robe, ungirt from clasp to hem,
    No wrought flowers did adorn,
But a white rose of Mary's gift,
    For service meetly worn;
Her hair that lay along her back
    Was yellow like ripe corn.
Herseemed she scarce had been a day
    One of God's choristers ...
-- D. G. Rossetti

I.
This is that blessed Mary, pre-elect,
    God's Virgin. Gone is a great while, and she
    Dwelt young in Nazareth of Galilee.
Unto God's will she brought devout respect,
Profound simplicity of intellect,
    And supreme patience. From her mother's knee
    Faithful and hopeful; wise in charity;
Strong in grave peace; in pity circumspect.

So held she through her girlhood; as it were
    An angel-watered lily, that near God
        Grows and is quiet. Till, one dawn at home,
She woke in her white bed, and had no fear
    At all, -- yet wept till sunshine, and felt awed;
        Because the fulness of the time was come.

II.
These are the symbols. On that cloth of red
    I' the centre is the Tripoint: perfect each,
    Except the centre of its points,to teach
That Christ is not yet born. The books -- whose head
Is golden Charity, as Paul hath said --
    Those virtues are wherein the soul is rich;
    Therefore on them the lily standeth, which
Is innocence, being interpreted.

The seven-thorn'd brier and palm seven-leaved
    Are here great sorrow and her great reward
        Until the end be full, the Holy One
Abides without. She soon shall have achieved
    Her perfect purity: yea, God the Lord
        Shall soon vouchsafe His Son to be her Son.

-- D. G. Rossetti