 | Benoni |  |
61
THE POET'S BRIDE.
Thou, so gravely sweet, so mutely tender,
Calm with cloudless eyes and brow serene—
Thou shalt share with me my throne of splendour,
Thou alone shalt be my spirit's queen!
Calm with cloudless eyes and brow serene—
Thou shalt share with me my throne of splendour,
Thou alone shalt be my spirit's queen!
Bridal airs shall waft thee up beside me,
Woo thee close within my sacred spell:
What if all the erring world deride me?
Thou shalt view the hermit in his cell—
Woo thee close within my sacred spell:
What if all the erring world deride me?
Thou shalt view the hermit in his cell—
Cell? Believe me, 'tis an amaranth bower
Wreathed and woven thicker every day
With each freshest moss, each dewiest flower,
All to keep the jars of earth away:
Wreathed and woven thicker every day
With each freshest moss, each dewiest flower,
All to keep the jars of earth away:
But toward heaven 'tis open—not enshrouded
'Neath a roof that shuts out all but sin;
No, to it the stars are aye unclouded,
And the brooding angels aye come in.
'Neath a roof that shuts out all but sin;
No, to it the stars are aye unclouded,
And the brooding angels aye come in.
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Such the home I bring thee: not from Fashion
Seek I chilling lessons how to woo—
Ever for itself each varied passion
Moulds afresh the forms of Right and True.
Seek I chilling lessons how to woo—
Ever for itself each varied passion
Moulds afresh the forms of Right and True.
Only in my own wild way I'll love thee—
All my thoughts and hopes around thee weave—
Fold my close and sheltering soul above thee
Like a warm transparent cloud of eve.
All my thoughts and hopes around thee weave—
Fold my close and sheltering soul above thee
Like a warm transparent cloud of eve.
Leaning fondly o'er the inner sluices
Whence these lonely rills of thought arise,
Thou shalt make their wayward jets and juices
Purer with the gazing of thine eyes:
Whence these lonely rills of thought arise,
Thou shalt make their wayward jets and juices
Purer with the gazing of thine eyes:
Shadows of the Poet's unborn fancies
Lengthen forward o'er the Poet's wife;
Sweet results of reveries and trances
She alone hears whispering into life.
Lengthen forward o'er the Poet's wife;
Sweet results of reveries and trances
She alone hears whispering into life.
But not thus alone—such lofty wooing
Suits me only in an hour of song;
Human eyes and fingers are undoing
All the fancies I had feign'd so long.
Suits me only in an hour of song;
Human eyes and fingers are undoing
All the fancies I had feign'd so long.
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Teach me then, sweet Bride, what rich employing
Love provides for them that use her well;
How she flies all transcendental toying—
How she spurns each coarse and vulgar spell;
Love provides for them that use her well;
How she flies all transcendental toying—
How she spurns each coarse and vulgar spell;
How she blesses, if our warp'd hearts let her,
All true twins that meet within her shrine—
Minds expand and cold reserves unfetter,
Life looks larger, Heaven more divine.
All true twins that meet within her shrine—
Minds expand and cold reserves unfetter,
Life looks larger, Heaven more divine.
They may know her best who feel most lonely,
Asking help from her as from a star
Not for what they do and suffer only,
But for that chief secret—what they are;
Asking help from her as from a star
Not for what they do and suffer only,
But for that chief secret—what they are;
But she is no high and special guerdon
Seal'd and shut for such rare souls to prove;
Her sweet breast declines no common burden,
And the simplest is the truest love.
Seal'd and shut for such rare souls to prove;
Her sweet breast declines no common burden,
And the simplest is the truest love.
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