Classic Poem

I know a garden with three strange gates
Of silver, of gold, and glass,
At every gate, in a deep, soft voice,
A sentinel murmurs, “Pass.”

At night I passed through the silver gate,
An ivory moon rode high;
I heard the song of the silver stars
That swung in the silver sky.

I walked at dawn through the gate of gold,
And came to a golden sea,
Seven mermaids rose from the golden waves
And fluttered white hands to me.

At last I came to the other gate,
The sentinel murmured, “Pass!”
I never will tell what lovely things
I saw through that gate of glass.