The Poetical Works of George Barlow In Ten [Eleven] Volumes |
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 | The Poetical Works of George Barlow |  |
42
MARRIAGE
The woman brings her purity divine:
She takes her girlish wreath and lets it shine
Upon the man's tired head.
The woman brings sweet thoughts and rainbow gleams;
The man brings half a life of selfish dreams
And selfish thoughts instead.
She takes her girlish wreath and lets it shine
Upon the man's tired head.
The woman brings sweet thoughts and rainbow gleams;
The man brings half a life of selfish dreams
And selfish thoughts instead.
This ought not so to be. They cannot meet,
The man, the woman, in eternal sweet
High marriage-union so.
The man's deep purity should mix with hers:
This is the marriage-dower that God confers;
This is the gift we owe.
The man, the woman, in eternal sweet
High marriage-union so.
The man's deep purity should mix with hers:
This is the marriage-dower that God confers;
This is the gift we owe.
All marriage short of this is spoilt and marred,
Imperfect, poor, inadequate, ill-starred,
Unblessed and undivine.
No strange unearthly rapture through it flows;
No viewless fragrance, as if mystic rose
With lily did combine.
Imperfect, poor, inadequate, ill-starred,
Unblessed and undivine.
No strange unearthly rapture through it flows;
No viewless fragrance, as if mystic rose
With lily did combine.
43
When manhood first asserts its inborn strength,
Becomes as pure as womanhood at length
And meets with noble eyes
The fearless eyes of woman, then the race
Conquering old lusts and every instinct base
To its true height will rise.
Becomes as pure as womanhood at length
And meets with noble eyes
The fearless eyes of woman, then the race
Conquering old lusts and every instinct base
To its true height will rise.
For then sweet mystery will dawn before
Both man and woman, a strange golden shore
Of ardent joys and dreams,
A griefless wonderful untrodden strand,
A flowerful region, an immortal land
Of star-rays and moonbeams.
Both man and woman, a strange golden shore
Of ardent joys and dreams,
A griefless wonderful untrodden strand,
A flowerful region, an immortal land
Of star-rays and moonbeams.
All violent grasping after love is sheer
Madness and loss. Love lends no earnest ear
To eager shouts and cries.
Those who will reverence woman she will bless
With nobler rapture than the wild caress
Of temporal love supplies.
Madness and loss. Love lends no earnest ear
To eager shouts and cries.
Those who will reverence woman she will bless
With nobler rapture than the wild caress
Of temporal love supplies.
44
The perfect marriage-love is that which breathes
Its own still sweetness through the bridal wreaths,
The love that joins in one;
The love that brings a never-failing peace,
The love that though the stars died, could not cease,
That must outlive the sun.
Its own still sweetness through the bridal wreaths,
The love that joins in one;
The love that brings a never-failing peace,
The love that though the stars died, could not cease,
That must outlive the sun.
The love that will not prematurely grasp
At pleasure (which then melteth through man's clasp!)
The love that waits its time:
This love alone can conquer and possess;
This love can make the gentlest pure caress
Beyond all words sublime.
At pleasure (which then melteth through man's clasp!)
The love that waits its time:
This love alone can conquer and possess;
This love can make the gentlest pure caress
Beyond all words sublime.
1886.
| The Poetical Works of George Barlow | |