Women must weep | ||
A WOMAN'S HEART.
It was lofty, large, and sweet,
It was broad and bright;
All the graces seem'd to meet
In one lovely light—
In one glorious sight;
Never poet's wildest fancy fleet,
Dared in vision thus to grasp or greet
Forms of heavenly height,
Beautiful and bright;
Never heart that human beat,
Hand of mortal might,
Dream'd or built such blessed seat
In such earthly plight.
It was broad and bright;
All the graces seem'd to meet
In one lovely light—
In one glorious sight;
Never poet's wildest fancy fleet,
Dared in vision thus to grasp or greet
Forms of heavenly height,
Beautiful and bright;
Never heart that human beat,
Hand of mortal might,
Dream'd or built such blessed seat
In such earthly plight.
It was framed of fairy dew,
Sunshine soft and fire;
Winds on man that never blew,
In his brutal ire—
Winds that never tire,
Which from Paradise above it drew
Fragrant spice, and living freshness threw
Over shadows dire,
Kiss'd it without hire;
Angels, that around it flew,
Raised it from the mire,
Wrought it jubilant and new,
Bade it still aspire.
Sunshine soft and fire;
Winds on man that never blew,
In his brutal ire—
Winds that never tire,
Which from Paradise above it drew
Fragrant spice, and living freshness threw
Over shadows dire,
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Angels, that around it flew,
Raised it from the mire,
Wrought it jubilant and new,
Bade it still aspire.
Never temple rose so glad,
In the morning ray;
Never tower such glimpses had
Of the endless Day,
On this beaten way;
Soar'd, reproaching thus whate'er was bad,
Witness stood against all worship mad
Paid to passing clay,
Higher call'd to pray;
Fashion'd from the foolish lad,
Hero crown'd with bay;
Turn'd the bosom, sere and sad,
Most divinely gay.
In the morning ray;
Never tower such glimpses had
Of the endless Day,
On this beaten way;
Soar'd, reproaching thus whate'er was bad,
Witness stood against all worship mad
Paid to passing clay,
Higher call'd to pray;
Fashion'd from the foolish lad,
Hero crown'd with bay;
Turn'd the bosom, sere and sad,
Most divinely gay.
Never breathed a house a spell
Like a woman's heart;
Never fane thus lowly fell
From exalted start,
Bought upon the mart;
Dim, defiled, and shrunk as hermit cell,
Base and colder than the coffin-shell,
Fooled with wicked art,
Stabb'd by every dart;
Yet, though sunk in very hell,
Torn from social chart,
God in it again shall dwell,
No more to depart.
Like a woman's heart;
Never fane thus lowly fell
From exalted start,
Bought upon the mart;
Dim, defiled, and shrunk as hermit cell,
Base and colder than the coffin-shell,
Fooled with wicked art,
Stabb'd by every dart;
Yet, though sunk in very hell,
Torn from social chart,
God in it again shall dwell,
No more to depart.
Women must weep | ||