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 | Collected poems of Herman Melville |  |
384
SHADOW AT THE FEAST
MRS. B---
(1847)
Now churches are leafy,
Now evergreens reign;
'Tis green Burnam wood
Come to gray Dunsinane!
Now evergreens reign;
'Tis green Burnam wood
Come to gray Dunsinane!
Now the night it is starry
And lavishly go
In a largess of music
The bells thro' the snow.
And lavishly go
In a largess of music
The bells thro' the snow.
Now burn the decanters
Like turrets that rise
All garnet in sunset
Of orient skies.
Like turrets that rise
All garnet in sunset
Of orient skies.
O, snugged in the Valley,
A homestead of hearts!
Love flies like a shuttle,
And knits while it darts.
A homestead of hearts!
Love flies like a shuttle,
And knits while it darts.
Brown brothers, fair sisters,
Bright cousins and all,
Keeping Christmas at table,
The large and the small.
Bright cousins and all,
Keeping Christmas at table,
The large and the small.
385
But a kinswoman glideth,
Infantile in grace,
Sits down and is silent—
Medallion in place!
Infantile in grace,
Sits down and is silent—
Medallion in place!
O, the hearth is like ruby,
The curtains they glow;
But she who sits sadly
Her story we know:
The curtains they glow;
But she who sits sadly
Her story we know:
The blossom of orange
Turned cypress so soon!
Child-bride of the May-time
Child-widow in June!
Turned cypress so soon!
Child-bride of the May-time
Child-widow in June!
Snow-white is her raiment;
And sorrow so mild,
An elf-sorrow seemeth,
As she an elf-child.
And sorrow so mild,
An elf-sorrow seemeth,
As she an elf-child.
In patience she sitteth;
Tho' cometh no balm,
She floats, holy lily,
On waters of calm.
Tho' cometh no balm,
She floats, holy lily,
On waters of calm.
Come pass the decanter!
Our hearts let us cheer,
Yea, I wish Merry Christmas—
But let her not hear!
Our hearts let us cheer,
Yea, I wish Merry Christmas—
But let her not hear!
| Collected poems of Herman Melville | |