The ballad of Babe Christabel with other Lyrical Poems By Gerald Massey. Fifth Edition, Revised and Enlarged |
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| LOVE LYRICS. |
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 | The ballad of Babe Christabel with other Lyrical Poems |  |
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LOVE LYRICS.
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A SONG OF HAPPY LOVE.
My life lay like a sea-bud dark upon the watery wold,
That feels when Spring is in the world, and striveth to unfold.
The breath of Love pass'd o'er me, and the Spring went laughing by;
Till on a sudden I was 'ware that thou, Beloved, wert nigh.
The Bird of Love to my window came, and sang a strain divine:
Sweet Bird! he makes his nest, I said, 'neath other eaves than mine!
But many a day hath come and gone, and still he sits and sings
His song of happy futures, and of dear remember'd things.
That feels when Spring is in the world, and striveth to unfold.
The breath of Love pass'd o'er me, and the Spring went laughing by;
Till on a sudden I was 'ware that thou, Beloved, wert nigh.
The Bird of Love to my window came, and sang a strain divine:
Sweet Bird! he makes his nest, I said, 'neath other eaves than mine!
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His song of happy futures, and of dear remember'd things.
My life went darkling like the Earth, nor knew it shone a Star
To that dear heaven on which it hung in worship from afar.
O, many bared their beauty, like brave flowers to the bee:
He might have ranged through sunny fields, but nestled down by me;
And daintier dames would proudly have smiled him to their side,
But with a lowly majesty he sought me for his Bride;
And grandly gave his love to me, the dearest thing on earth,
Like one who gives a jewel unweeting of its worth.
To that dear heaven on which it hung in worship from afar.
O, many bared their beauty, like brave flowers to the bee:
He might have ranged through sunny fields, but nestled down by me;
And daintier dames would proudly have smiled him to their side,
But with a lowly majesty he sought me for his Bride;
And grandly gave his love to me, the dearest thing on earth,
Like one who gives a jewel unweeting of its worth.
'T was when the Earth her green lap spreads for Summer's gorgeous gifts,
And plump for kisses of the Sun her ripen'd cheek up-lifts,
When maiden May was caught and kiss'd in arms of lusty June,
He newly strung my harp of life, and play'd its sweetest tune.
O, I had been content to live in cottage built of clay,
So I might see and bless him, when he chanced to pass that way!
But to his heart he claspt me, with a look of glorious pride,
And to his home he took me, and he crown'd me for his Bride.
And plump for kisses of the Sun her ripen'd cheek up-lifts,
When maiden May was caught and kiss'd in arms of lusty June,
He newly strung my harp of life, and play'd its sweetest tune.
O, I had been content to live in cottage built of clay,
So I might see and bless him, when he chanced to pass that way!
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And to his home he took me, and he crown'd me for his Bride.
NOT LOST, BUT GONE BEFORE.
One of God's own Darlings was my bosom's nestling Dove,
With her looks of love and sunshine, and her voice so rich and low:
How it trembled thro' my life, like an Immortal's kiss of love!
How its music yearns thro' all my memory now!
With her looks of love and sunshine, and her voice so rich and low:
How it trembled thro' my life, like an Immortal's kiss of love!
How its music yearns thro' all my memory now!
O! her beauty rainbows round me, and her sweet smile, silverly
As a song, fills all the silence of the Midnight's charméd hours;
And I know from out her grave she'll send her love in death to me,
By the Spring in smiling utterance of Flowers.
As a song, fills all the silence of the Midnight's charméd hours;
And I know from out her grave she'll send her love in death to me,
By the Spring in smiling utterance of Flowers.
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O! my Love, too good for Earth, has gone into the world of light;
It was hard, she said, to leave me, but the Lord had need of her;
And she walks the heavens in glory, like a Star i' the crown of Night,
With the Beautiful and Blesséd mingling there.
It was hard, she said, to leave me, but the Lord had need of her;
And she walks the heavens in glory, like a Star i' the crown of Night,
With the Beautiful and Blesséd mingling there.
Gone before me, to be clothéd on with bridal robe of white,
Where Love's blossom flowers to fruit of Knowledge,—Suffering 's glorified!
And my love shall make me meet and worthy of her presence bright,
That in heaven I may claim her as my Bride.
Where Love's blossom flowers to fruit of Knowledge,—Suffering 's glorified!
And my love shall make me meet and worthy of her presence bright,
That in heaven I may claim her as my Bride.
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THE GOLDEN WEDDING-RING.
With a white hand like a lady,
And a heart as merry as Spring,
I am ripe and I am ready
For a golden wedding-ring.
And a heart as merry as Spring,
I am ripe and I am ready
For a golden wedding-ring.
This old world is scarce worth seeing,
Till Love wave his purple wing,
And we gauge the bliss of being
Thro' a golden wedding-ring.
Till Love wave his purple wing,
And we gauge the bliss of being
Thro' a golden wedding-ring.
Would you draw far Eden nearer,
And to earth the Angels bring,
You must seek the magic mirror
Of a golden wedding-ring.
And to earth the Angels bring,
You must seek the magic mirror
Of a golden wedding-ring.
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As the earth with sea is bounded,
And the winter-world with spring,
So a Maiden's life is rounded
With a golden wedding-ring.
And the winter-world with spring,
So a Maiden's life is rounded
With a golden wedding-ring.
I have known full many a Maiden,
Like a white rose withering,
Into fresh ripe beauty redden
Thro' a golden wedding-ring.
Like a white rose withering,
Into fresh ripe beauty redden
Thro' a golden wedding-ring.
As the crescent Moon rings golden,
Her full glory perfecting,
Womanly beauty is unfolden
In a golden wedding-ring.
Her full glory perfecting,
Womanly beauty is unfolden
In a golden wedding-ring.
Fainting spirits oft grow fearless,
Sighing hearts will soar and sing,
Tearful eyes will laugh out tearless,
Thro' a golden wedding-ring.
Sighing hearts will soar and sing,
Tearful eyes will laugh out tearless,
Thro' a golden wedding-ring.
There 's no jewel so worth wearing,
That a Lover's hands may bring,—
There 's no treasure worth comparing
With a golden wedding-ring.
That a Lover's hands may bring,—
There 's no treasure worth comparing
With a golden wedding-ring.
Ah! when hearts are wildly beating,
And when arms all glowing cling,
Think, Love's circle wants completing
With a golden wedding-ring.
And when arms all glowing cling,
Think, Love's circle wants completing
With a golden wedding-ring.
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KISSES.
One kiss more, Sweet!
Soft as voluptuous wind of the west,
Or silkenest surge of thy purple-vein'd breast,
Ripe lips all ruddily melting apart,
Drink up the honey and wine of my heart!
Soft as voluptuous wind of the west,
Or silkenest surge of thy purple-vein'd breast,
Ripe lips all ruddily melting apart,
Drink up the honey and wine of my heart!
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One kiss more, Sweet!
Warm as a morning sunbeam's dewy gold
Slips in a red Rose's fragrantest fold,
Sets its green blood all a-blush, burning up
At the fresh feel of life, in its crimson cup!
Warm as a morning sunbeam's dewy gold
Slips in a red Rose's fragrantest fold,
Sets its green blood all a-blush, burning up
At the fresh feel of life, in its crimson cup!
One kiss more, Sweet!
Full as the flush of the sea-waves grand
Flooding the sheeny fire out of the sand;
On all the shores of my being let Bliss
Break with its neap-tide sea in a kiss!
Full as the flush of the sea-waves grand
Flooding the sheeny fire out of the sand;
On all the shores of my being let Bliss
Break with its neap-tide sea in a kiss!
SWEET-AND-TWENTY.
O my love 's a winsome lady;
Sweeter face ne'er fed Love on!
In a Court, or forest shady,
Queenlier beauty never shone.
Sweeter face ne'er fed Love on!
In a Court, or forest shady,
Queenlier beauty never shone.
Like a ladye from a far land
Came my true Love, brave to see!
As to heaven its rainbow garland,
Is her beauty rich to me.
Came my true Love, brave to see!
As to heaven its rainbow garland,
Is her beauty rich to me.
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In white arms of love she wound me,
And I lookt up in her smile:
In warm arms of love she bound me,
As the sea takes some blest isle.
And I lookt up in her smile:
In warm arms of love she bound me,
As the sea takes some blest isle.
As some dusky lake may mirror
One fair star that shines above,
So my life—aye growing clearer—
Holds this tremulous Star of Love.
One fair star that shines above,
So my life—aye growing clearer—
Holds this tremulous Star of Love.
O to see her life in blossom,
With its bloom of bravery!
Pure the dew lies in the bosom
Of her sweet virginity.
With its bloom of bravery!
Pure the dew lies in the bosom
Of her sweet virginity.
Nearest to my heart I wear her;
As a bark the waves above—
O so proudly do I bear her
On the bosom of my love!
As a bark the waves above—
O so proudly do I bear her
On the bosom of my love!
Look you, how she cometh, trilling
Out her gay heart's bird-like bliss!
Merry as a May-morn, thrilling
With the dew and sunshine's kiss.
Out her gay heart's bird-like bliss!
Merry as a May-morn, thrilling
With the dew and sunshine's kiss.
Ruddy gossips of her beauty
Are her twin cheeks: and her mouth
In its ripe warmth smileth, fruity
As a garden of the south.
Are her twin cheeks: and her mouth
In its ripe warmth smileth, fruity
As a garden of the south.
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Ha! my precious Sweet-and-Twenty,
Husband still your virgin pride!
Just a month, and this dear, dainty
Thing shall be my wedded Bride.
Husband still your virgin pride!
Just a month, and this dear, dainty
Thing shall be my wedded Bride.
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THE PATRIOT TO HIS BRIDE.
Will you leave the fond bosom of Home, where
Bliss hath been from your earliest waking?
Can you give its endearments to come, where
Life hath many a hot heart-aching?
Have you counted the cost to stand by me,
In the battle I fight for Man?
And shall your angel-love deify me,
Who stand in the world's dark ban?
O, a daring high soul you will need, dear love,
To brave the life-battle with me:
For your true heart may oftentimes bleed, dear love,
And your sweet eyes dim tearfully.
Bliss hath been from your earliest waking?
Can you give its endearments to come, where
Life hath many a hot heart-aching?
Have you counted the cost to stand by me,
In the battle I fight for Man?
And shall your angel-love deify me,
Who stand in the world's dark ban?
O, a daring high soul you will need, dear love,
To brave the life-battle with me:
For your true heart may oftentimes bleed, dear love,
And your sweet eyes dim tearfully.
Sweet! know you of gallant hearts perishing,—
The fine spirits that dumbly bow?
For a little of Fortune's cherishing,
They are breaking in agony now!
And without the sunshine that life needeth,
Alas! Sweet! for me and for you:
But little the careless world heedeth
For love like ours, tender and true!
O, a daring high soul you will need, dear love,
To brave the life-battle with me:
For your true heart may oftentimes bleed, dear love,
And your sweet eyes dim tearfully.
The fine spirits that dumbly bow?
For a little of Fortune's cherishing,
They are breaking in agony now!
And without the sunshine that life needeth,
Alas! Sweet! for me and for you:
But little the careless world heedeth
For love like ours, tender and true!
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To brave the life-battle with me:
For your true heart may oftentimes bleed, dear love,
And your sweet eyes dim tearfully.
Well, you 've sworn, I have sworn, God hath bound us,
In a covenant the world shall not part:
I have flung my love's purple around us,
And you live in each pulse of my heart!
It may be our name in Earth's story
Shall endure when we are no more;
For love lives as the Stars burn in glory,
And the Flowers bud on Earth's green floor.
But a daring high soul you will need, dear love,
To brave the life-battle with me:
For your true heart may oftentimes bleed, dear love,
And your sweet eyes dim tearfully.
In a covenant the world shall not part:
I have flung my love's purple around us,
And you live in each pulse of my heart!
It may be our name in Earth's story
Shall endure when we are no more;
For love lives as the Stars burn in glory,
And the Flowers bud on Earth's green floor.
But a daring high soul you will need, dear love,
To brave the life-battle with me:
For your true heart may oftentimes bleed, dear love,
And your sweet eyes dim tearfully.
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I LOVE MY LOVE, AND MY LOVE LOVES ME.
The life of life 's when for another we 're living,
Whose spirit responds to ours like a sweet Psalter;
When heart-smiles are burning, and flame-words out-giving
The fire we have lit on her heart's holy Altar!
O Love, God's religion! Love, burning and starried!
The soul must be beautiful where thou art palaced;
I mark where thy kiss-seal is set on the forehead,
I know where thy dew of heaven 's richliest chaliced.
That radiant brow breaketh thro' cloud and world-stain,
And strong is that soul in the battle of Duty;
Smiling May-sunshine thro' Life's Winter-rain,
All outer things clothing with inner-world beauty!
'T is writ in the face, whose heart singeth for glee,
“I love my Love, and my Love loves me.”
Whose spirit responds to ours like a sweet Psalter;
When heart-smiles are burning, and flame-words out-giving
The fire we have lit on her heart's holy Altar!
O Love, God's religion! Love, burning and starried!
The soul must be beautiful where thou art palaced;
I mark where thy kiss-seal is set on the forehead,
I know where thy dew of heaven 's richliest chaliced.
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And strong is that soul in the battle of Duty;
Smiling May-sunshine thro' Life's Winter-rain,
All outer things clothing with inner-world beauty!
'T is writ in the face, whose heart singeth for glee,
“I love my Love, and my Love loves me.”
Once I was a-weary of life and the world,
And the voice of Delight on my heart fell accurst,
And my eyes oft with tear-drops unweetingly pearl'd,
I had no one to love, tho' with love my heart burst:
Then on me a sweet dream of Paradise stole—
Turn'd to radiance the shadows that brooded around me;
And walking the gardens that Eden my soul,
One morning, my Love, like another Eve, found me:
She lookt, and a maëlstrom of joy whirl'd my bosom;
She smiled, and my being ran bliss to the brim:
She spake, and my eager heart flusht into blossom;
Dear Heaven! 't was the music set to my Life's hymn!
And up went my soul to God, shouting for glee,
“I love my Love, and my Love loves me.”
And the voice of Delight on my heart fell accurst,
And my eyes oft with tear-drops unweetingly pearl'd,
I had no one to love, tho' with love my heart burst:
Then on me a sweet dream of Paradise stole—
Turn'd to radiance the shadows that brooded around me;
And walking the gardens that Eden my soul,
One morning, my Love, like another Eve, found me:
She lookt, and a maëlstrom of joy whirl'd my bosom;
She smiled, and my being ran bliss to the brim:
She spake, and my eager heart flusht into blossom;
Dear Heaven! 't was the music set to my Life's hymn!
And up went my soul to God, shouting for glee,
“I love my Love, and my Love loves me.”
I know, Love of mine! time may nevermore bring
Back the lost freshness that clad my young heart;
But, looking on thee, dear! sweet thoughts will up-spring,
As from the cold tomb the green verdure will start!
I look in thine eyes, and, O joy to the weeper!
Their love-light makes sunshine of all my dark fears;
And what made my heart faint, lifts it now, a strong leaper!
And rivers of bliss flood its channels of tears.
I had deem'd its wealth flung on sands barren and burning,
And sweet 't is to find my Life's current again,
Caught up in thy love's precious chalice—returning
Like dew that hath been to heaven, dropping in rain.
And my heart's perpetual hymn shall be,
“I love my Love, and my Love loves me.”
Back the lost freshness that clad my young heart;
But, looking on thee, dear! sweet thoughts will up-spring,
As from the cold tomb the green verdure will start!
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Their love-light makes sunshine of all my dark fears;
And what made my heart faint, lifts it now, a strong leaper!
And rivers of bliss flood its channels of tears.
I had deem'd its wealth flung on sands barren and burning,
And sweet 't is to find my Life's current again,
Caught up in thy love's precious chalice—returning
Like dew that hath been to heaven, dropping in rain.
And my heart's perpetual hymn shall be,
“I love my Love, and my Love loves me.”
BRIDAL SONG.
Gaily the Sun woos the Spring for his Bride,
With kisses all warm and golden;
Till the life at her heart she no longer may hide,
And the wealth of her love is unfolden.
With kisses all warm and golden;
Till the life at her heart she no longer may hide,
And the wealth of her love is unfolden.
The wrinkled old Sea sidles up the sands,
And lavishes kisses in showers
On the Earth, till the Grey-beard's young darling stands
All dress'd in her bridal flowers!
And lavishes kisses in showers
On the Earth, till the Grey-beard's young darling stands
All dress'd in her bridal flowers!
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With kisses, sweet kisses, the mellow Rains start
The virgin flowers a-blossom,
And ripen their beauty till fragrant lips part,
And Love's jewel gleams rich in their bosom.
The virgin flowers a-blossom,
And ripen their beauty till fragrant lips part,
And Love's jewel gleams rich in their bosom.
Faint with love wingeth the wantoning Wind,
And yearns as its heart were a-breaking,
And kisses sweet kisses, till buds be untwined,
And the young leaves all are awaking.
And yearns as its heart were a-breaking,
And kisses sweet kisses, till buds be untwined,
And the young leaves all are awaking.
And there 's nothing so dainty-sweet in life
As to kiss the Maid glowing and tender,
Till the heart of the Wife giveth up in the strife,
Full-flowering in Love's splendour.
As to kiss the Maid glowing and tender,
Till the heart of the Wife giveth up in the strife,
Full-flowering in Love's splendour.
A WAIL.
The Day goeth down red darkling,
The moaning waves dash out the light,
And there is not a star of hope sparkling,
On the threshold of my night.
The moaning waves dash out the light,
And there is not a star of hope sparkling,
On the threshold of my night.
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The wild winds of Autumn go wailing
Up the valley and over the hill,
Like yearning Ghosts round the world sailing,
In search of the old love still.
Up the valley and over the hill,
Like yearning Ghosts round the world sailing,
In search of the old love still.
A fathomless sea is rolling
O'er the wreck of the bravest bark;
And my pain-muffled heart is tolling
Its dumb-peal down in the dark.
O'er the wreck of the bravest bark;
And my pain-muffled heart is tolling
Its dumb-peal down in the dark.
The waves of a mighty sorrow
Have whelméd the pearl of my life:
And there cometh to me no morrow
Shall solace this desolate strife.
Have whelméd the pearl of my life:
And there cometh to me no morrow
Shall solace this desolate strife.
Gone are the last faint flashes,
Set is the sun of my years;
And over a few poor ashes
I sit in my darkness and tears.
Set is the sun of my years;
And over a few poor ashes
I sit in my darkness and tears.
| The ballad of Babe Christabel with other Lyrical Poems | |