 | My Lyrical Life |  |
141
THE BRIDAL.
She comes! the blushing Bridal Dawn,
With her Auroral splendours on,
And green Earth never lovelier shone:
With her Auroral splendours on,
And green Earth never lovelier shone:
She floateth on her azure way,
In dainty dalliance with the May,
Jubilant o'er the happy day!
In dainty dalliance with the May,
Jubilant o'er the happy day!
Earth weareth heaven for marriage-ring,
And the best garland of glory, Spring
From out old Winter's world could bring.
And the best garland of glory, Spring
From out old Winter's world could bring.
All in white are the hawthorn boughs,
The green blood reddens in the Rose,
And every May-bud swells or glows.
The green blood reddens in the Rose,
And every May-bud swells or glows.
The Apple-tree on its green bough
Hath caught a cloud of rosy snow;
Up in the blue the Chestnuts blow.
Hath caught a cloud of rosy snow;
Up in the blue the Chestnuts blow.
Cloud-shadow-ships swim faërily
Over the greenery's sunny sea,
That runs and ripples down the lea.
Over the greenery's sunny sea,
That runs and ripples down the lea.
The birds a-brooding, strive to sing,
Feeling the life warm under the wing:
Their love, too, blossoms with the Spring!
Feeling the life warm under the wing:
Their love, too, blossoms with the Spring!
The winds that make the flowers blow,
Heavy with balm, breathe soft and low,
All budding warmth, and amorous glow!
Heavy with balm, breathe soft and low,
All budding warmth, and amorous glow!
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Such a delicious feel doth flood
The eyes, as laves the burning bud
When cool rains feed ambrosial blood.
The eyes, as laves the burning bud
When cool rains feed ambrosial blood.
Merrily Life doth revel and reign!
Light in heart, and blithe in brain;
Running like wine in every vein.
Light in heart, and blithe in brain;
Running like wine in every vein.
Alive with eyes, the Village sees
The Bridal dawning from the trees,
And Housewives swarm i' the sun like Bees.
The Bridal dawning from the trees,
And Housewives swarm i' the sun like Bees.
All silent yet the Belfrey-Choir!
Up in the twinkling air the spire
Throbs, golden in the bickering fire.
Up in the twinkling air the spire
Throbs, golden in the bickering fire.
The winking windows burn and blush
With colours rare as flow and flush
Through summer sunsets bloomed and hush.
With colours rare as flow and flush
Through summer sunsets bloomed and hush.
But, enter: rarer splendours brim,
Such mists of gold and purple swim,
And the light falls so rich and dim.
Such mists of gold and purple swim,
And the light falls so rich and dim.
Even so doth Love Life's doors unbar,
Where all the hidden glories are,
That from the windows shine afar.
Where all the hidden glories are,
That from the windows shine afar.
Love's lovely to the passers-by,
But they who love are regioned high
On hills of Bliss, with heaven nigh.
But they who love are regioned high
On hills of Bliss, with heaven nigh.
Dainty as Iris, when she swims
With rainbow robe on lightsome limbs,
The Bride's rare beauty overbrims!
With rainbow robe on lightsome limbs,
The Bride's rare beauty overbrims!
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The gazers drink rich overflows,
Her cheek a livelier damask glows,
And on his arm she leans more close.
Her cheek a livelier damask glows,
And on his arm she leans more close.
A drunken joy reels in his blood,
He wanders an enchanted wood;
She ranges realms of perfect good.
He wanders an enchanted wood;
She ranges realms of perfect good.
Dear God! that he alone hath grace
To light such splendour in her face,
And win the blessing of embrace!
To light such splendour in her face,
And win the blessing of embrace!
She wears her maiden modesty
With tearful grace touched tenderly,
Yet with a ripe Expectancy
With tearful grace touched tenderly,
Yet with a ripe Expectancy
Her virgin veil reveals a form,
Flowering from the bud so warm,
It needs must break the Cestus-charm.
Flowering from the bud so warm,
It needs must break the Cestus-charm.
Last night, with her white wedding arms,
And thoughts that thronged with quaint alarms,
She trembled o'er her mirrored charms,
And thoughts that thronged with quaint alarms,
She trembled o'er her mirrored charms,
Like Eve first-glassing her new life;
And the Maid startled at the Wife,
Heart-painèd with herself at strife.
And the Maid startled at the Wife,
Heart-painèd with herself at strife.
The unknown sea moans on her shore
Of life: she hears the breakers roar;
But, trusting Him, she fears no more;
Of life: she hears the breakers roar;
But, trusting Him, she fears no more;
For, o'er the deep seas there is calm,
Full as the hush of all-heaven's psalm:
The golden goal,—the Victor's palm!
Full as the hush of all-heaven's psalm:
The golden goal,—the Victor's palm!
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And at her heart Love sits and sings,
And broodeth warmth, begetting wings
Shall lift her life to higher things.
And broodeth warmth, begetting wings
Shall lift her life to higher things.
The Blessing given, the ring is on;
And at God's Altar radiant run
The currents of two lives in one!
And at God's Altar radiant run
The currents of two lives in one!
Hushed with happiness, every sense
Is crowded at the heart intense;
And silence hath most eloquence!
Is crowded at the heart intense;
And silence hath most eloquence!
Down to his feet her meek eyes stoop,
As there her love should pour its cup;
But, like a King, he lifts them up.
As there her love should pour its cup;
But, like a King, he lifts them up.
Her flashing face to heaven up-turns,
There for a Mother's kiss it yearns:
Through all her life Hope's sunrise burns!
There for a Mother's kiss it yearns:
Through all her life Hope's sunrise burns!
And now she trembles to his breast,
To proudly crown his loving quest;
And make it aye her happy nest.
To proudly crown his loving quest;
And make it aye her happy nest.
His arms her hyacinth head caress,
And fold her fragrant slenderness,
With all its touching tenderness.
And fold her fragrant slenderness,
With all its touching tenderness.
Now, on heaven's coast of crystal, crowned
Hesperus lights life's outward-bound:
And Evening palls her purple round.
Hesperus lights life's outward-bound:
And Evening palls her purple round.
A palace rich with glorious shows
She maketh his life's narrow house
To-night: but there he keeps no rouse!
She maketh his life's narrow house
To-night: but there he keeps no rouse!
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Alone they hold their marriage-feast:
Fresh from the Chrism of the Priest,
He would not have the happiest jest
Fresh from the Chrism of the Priest,
He would not have the happiest jest
To storm her brows with a crimson fine;
And, sooth, they need no wings of wine
To waft them into Love's divine.
And, sooth, they need no wings of wine
To waft them into Love's divine.
So Strength and Beauty, hand-in-hand,
Go forth into the honeyed land,
Lit by the love-moon golden-grand,
Go forth into the honeyed land,
Lit by the love-moon golden-grand,
Where God hath built their Bridal-bower;
And on the top of life they tower,
To taste their Eden's perfect hour.
And on the top of life they tower,
To taste their Eden's perfect hour.
No lewd eyes o'er my shoulder look!
They do but ope the blessed book
Of Marriage, in their hallowed nook.
They do but ope the blessed book
Of Marriage, in their hallowed nook.
O, flowery be the paths they press,
And ruddiest human fruitage bless
Them, with a lavish loveliness!
And ruddiest human fruitage bless
Them, with a lavish loveliness!
Melodious move their wedded life
Through shocks of time, and storms of strife,—
Husband true, and perfect wife!
Through shocks of time, and storms of strife,—
Husband true, and perfect wife!
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