In just four lines, Blake sets the rose and the sheep against the lily. The rose may be called modest, but it still pushes out a thorn; the sheep seems humble, yet it wears a threatening horn. Both carry a hidden warning. The lily, by contrast, lives entirely in love’s delight. Its whiteness stays bright because neither thorn nor horn can leave a mark on it—nothing sharp can stain that beauty. The speaker’s voice is gentle, almost relieved, as if he’s glimpsed a way of being that doesn’t need self-protection or hidden edges. A quiet, luminous mood fills the lines: it’s a tiny hymn to a loveliness that never has to fight, a purity that remains whole because it never wounds. The feeling is one of serene reverence, like watching something untouched by the world’s prickliness.
The Lily — Summary
The modest Rose puts forth a thorn, The humble sheep a threat'ning horn: While the Lily white shall in love delight, Nor a thorn nor a threat stain her beauty bright.