 | [The wife of his bosom that peril shall take, in] Esther |  |
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[The wife of his bosom that peril shall take]
The wife of his bosom that peril shall take!
The helpless young Jewess, so gentle and fair,
To live with her people, or die for their sake,
Will go to her lord, and her nation declare.
The helpless young Jewess, so gentle and fair,
To live with her people, or die for their sake,
Will go to her lord, and her nation declare.
For little he dreams that his idolized bride,
The joy of his heart, the delight of his eyes,
Is born of that race whom the Persians deride—
The people his nation oppress and despise.
The joy of his heart, the delight of his eyes,
Is born of that race whom the Persians deride—
The people his nation oppress and despise.
There's wine at the palace, and feasting, and mirth;
In Esther's still chamber there's fasting and prayer.
While he with the crown, has the homage of earth,
She calls on her God, her doomed people to spare.
In Esther's still chamber there's fasting and prayer.
While he with the crown, has the homage of earth,
She calls on her God, her doomed people to spare.
She thinks of her fathers in Egypt's dark land—
She thinks of the bush, as on Horeb it burned;
And Who hath the hearts of the kings in his hand,
To turn them, as rivers of water are turned.
She thinks of the bush, as on Horeb it burned;
And Who hath the hearts of the kings in his hand,
To turn them, as rivers of water are turned.
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To Him, for support, and for light to her mind,
She sends up the cries of her soul from the dust;
Then, rising to go to the king, is resigned
To do this and perish, if perish she must.
She sends up the cries of her soul from the dust;
Then, rising to go to the king, is resigned
To do this and perish, if perish she must.
With fasting and tears she is languid and pale,
But o'er her young face beams the sunrise of soul;
And flesh, though but feeble and ready to fail,
Is urged to its point by the spirit's control.
But o'er her young face beams the sunrise of soul;
And flesh, though but feeble and ready to fail,
Is urged to its point by the spirit's control.
The woman within her is timid and faint;
The holy believer, unawed and serene.
She goes to the presence, adorned as a saint,
With power that has never invested the queen.
The holy believer, unawed and serene.
She goes to the presence, adorned as a saint,
With power that has never invested the queen.
And, bowed as a lily oppressed by a shower,
She leans on her maidens for nature's support.
In beauty and silence, the delicate flower,
She's now at the palace, and stands in the court.
She leans on her maidens for nature's support.
In beauty and silence, the delicate flower,
She's now at the palace, and stands in the court.
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She looks to the throne, where the sovereign sits high
Arrayed in his glory—alone in his state.
His sceptre withheld, and the glance of his eye,
That chides her approach, show him fearfully great.
Arrayed in his glory—alone in his state.
His sceptre withheld, and the glance of his eye,
That chides her approach, show him fearfully great.
The sight o'er her cheek throws a slight hasty flush,
That, passing, to death's sudden palor gives place;
As leaves of the rose, that too rudely we brush,
Will pass down the side of the pure, snowy vase.
That, passing, to death's sudden palor gives place;
As leaves of the rose, that too rudely we brush,
Will pass down the side of the pure, snowy vase.
Her life seems departing—her soul taking wing,
Its lustre to shed on its dwelling of clay.
The monarch beholds her; and ruler and king
In lover and husband have melted away.
Its lustre to shed on its dwelling of clay.
The monarch beholds her; and ruler and king
In lover and husband have melted away.
For love hath an impetus strong in his breast,
And full are the fountains it moves by its force.
The pure gush of feeling can ill be repressed
When this power mysterious reigns at the source.
And full are the fountains it moves by its force.
The pure gush of feeling can ill be repressed
When this power mysterious reigns at the source.
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He leaps from the throne, and her tottering form
Is clasped to his heart, as he fain would confine
The flickering flame, still the temple to warm—
Would hold back the spirit to brighten the shrine.
Is clasped to his heart, as he fain would confine
The flickering flame, still the temple to warm—
Would hold back the spirit to brighten the shrine.
And now that his Esther may feel in her hold
His glittering sceptre, her terrors to check,
Her white nerveless fingers he bends round the gold,
His rod he with gentleness rests on her neck.
His glittering sceptre, her terrors to check,
Her white nerveless fingers he bends round the gold,
His rod he with gentleness rests on her neck.
His signals of safety in darkness are hid—
Her vision has failed; and, with grief and alarm,
He marks the cold forehead, the eye's falling lid,
The pale sinking burden that hangs on his arm.
Her vision has failed; and, with grief and alarm,
He marks the cold forehead, the eye's falling lid,
The pale sinking burden that hangs on his arm.
Affection's soft voice he essays, to awake
His paralyzed bride from so fearful a sleep;
He calls on her name, that her answer may break
The spell of a silence so awfully deep.
His paralyzed bride from so fearful a sleep;
He calls on her name, that her answer may break
The spell of a silence so awfully deep.
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At length, the checked pulse is beginning to play.
The strings of the harp are again put in tune.
The clouds that came over the morn, fly away;
And life kindles up from the death of the swoon.
The strings of the harp are again put in tune.
The clouds that came over the morn, fly away;
And life kindles up from the death of the swoon.
The light that had fled coming back to her eye,
She sees on whose bosom her head is at rest;
By lips parting first but to heave out a sigh,
The thoughts of her heart reassured, are confessed.
She sees on whose bosom her head is at rest;
By lips parting first but to heave out a sigh,
The thoughts of her heart reassured, are confessed.
“Forgive me, my lord; for in splendor arrayed,
I saw thee so comely and great, that, bereft
Of strength for its purpose, my soul was afraid,
And fled from thy face!—I had no spirit left.”
I saw thee so comely and great, that, bereft
Of strength for its purpose, my soul was afraid,
And fled from thy face!—I had no spirit left.”
“Oh, speak not of fear,” are the words of the king,
“But tell me thy wish; if to grant it 'tis mine,
Though this be the gift of my own signet ring,
And even the half of my kingdom, 'tis thine!
“But tell me thy wish; if to grant it 'tis mine,
Though this be the gift of my own signet ring,
And even the half of my kingdom, 'tis thine!
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“'Twixt thee and thy purpose shall naught intervene,
Believe, by my throne and the crown on my head!
The law is for subjects, and not for the queen,
Who reigns in the heart of their sovereign, to dread.”
Believe, by my throne and the crown on my head!
The law is for subjects, and not for the queen,
Who reigns in the heart of their sovereign, to dread.”
And now to her people is safety restored,
With peace and their rights; when resistance had failed
A woman in weakness, who drew on the Lord
For strength, o'er the mighty of earth has prevailed.
With peace and their rights; when resistance had failed
A woman in weakness, who drew on the Lord
For strength, o'er the mighty of earth has prevailed.
Fair Jewess, the tears thou hast dropped in the dust,
Thy name of the palm of Jehovah shall write!
The hand that, in sorrow, has here been thy trust,
Will crown thee in glory, an angel of light!
Thy name of the palm of Jehovah shall write!
The hand that, in sorrow, has here been thy trust,
Will crown thee in glory, an angel of light!
| [The wife of his bosom that peril shall take, in] Esther | |