 | A New Year's Eve, and Other Poems |  |
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GODIVA.
The spacious streets were silent as the grave!As though the place were uninhabited,
Or some deserted city of the dead,
With doors and windows closed:—when, meekly brave,
From feudal tyranny's stern law to save,
Godiva from her palace forth was led,
In bashful boldness, of true Virtue bred;
While tears and prayers her only welcome gave
From thousands—listening for her courser's tread!
So on she rode in unblenched majesty;
“Naked, yet not ashamed!”—her tresses pale
At once her modesty's and beauty's veil
From every wanton or unhallowed eye;
More proudly clothed in thoughts and feelings high
Than warrior panoplied in triple mail!
| A New Year's Eve, and Other Poems | |