 | [Poems by Whittier in] A Study of Whittier's Apprenticeship as a Poet |  |
THE BRIDAL
“Oh! haud ye not the feast tonight—
The wassail hour delay—
The glimmer o' a cauld corse light
Comes up the murky brae:—
It lights some frien's or neighbor's wrath
Up to the auld kirk wall,
It bodeth ill—it bodeth death—
Make dim the festal hall.
The wassail hour delay—
The glimmer o' a cauld corse light
Comes up the murky brae:—
It lights some frien's or neighbor's wrath
Up to the auld kirk wall,
It bodeth ill—it bodeth death—
Make dim the festal hall.
“Blau out the lights—the merry lights
Send a' the minstrels hame,
And let the band o' worthy knights
Gang backward as they came.
There's muckle evil lurkin' near,
Wi' sights an' sounds of awe,
The young bride's cheek hath felt the tear—
The bridegroom is awa'.”
Send a' the minstrels hame,
And let the band o' worthy knights
Gang backward as they came.
There's muckle evil lurkin' near,
Wi' sights an' sounds of awe,
The young bride's cheek hath felt the tear—
The bridegroom is awa'.”
204
Out spake the bride's proud father then,
Wi' blended fear and rage—
“Fair dame,” he said, “an' merry men,
Why heed ye croakin' age?
Cheer thee, my daughter—let nae fear
For Keven dim thine eye,
The hour that should hae found him here,
Ye ken is hardly by.”
Wi' blended fear and rage—
“Fair dame,” he said, “an' merry men,
Why heed ye croakin' age?
Cheer thee, my daughter—let nae fear
For Keven dim thine eye,
The hour that should hae found him here,
Ye ken is hardly by.”
Call out the minstrels—pour the wine—
Strike up a merrier strain,
Mair brightly let the tapers shine,
Lead down the dance again.”
The dance went down the hall once mair—
Flashed out the festal sheen—
The fair bride's cheek, through falling hair
In a tearful smile was seen.
Strike up a merrier strain,
Mair brightly let the tapers shine,
Lead down the dance again.”
The dance went down the hall once mair—
Flashed out the festal sheen—
The fair bride's cheek, through falling hair
In a tearful smile was seen.
The castle clock smote out the hours,
Wi' slow an' solemn chime;
And the bridesmaid dropped her wreath o' flowers,
As she thought o' the midnight time.
Sair wept the bride—the father smote
His strong hand on his brow;
An' the dancer did na' hear the note
O' the merry music's flow.
Wi' slow an' solemn chime;
And the bridesmaid dropped her wreath o' flowers,
As she thought o' the midnight time.
Sair wept the bride—the father smote
His strong hand on his brow;
An' the dancer did na' hear the note
O' the merry music's flow.
A horn—'twas Keven's—rang without—
A shrill unearthly tone,
An' the heavy curtain flapped about,
An' the old hall seemed to groon,
Nae warder's trumpet made reply,
Nae door was open'd there,
But a heavy tread came slowly by,
As an armed knight it were.
A shrill unearthly tone,
An' the heavy curtain flapped about,
An' the old hall seemed to groon,
Nae warder's trumpet made reply,
Nae door was open'd there,
But a heavy tread came slowly by,
As an armed knight it were.
The music ceased—the tread came on—
A form is with them now,—
Saints help thee, bride!—is this the one
Who hath thy virgin vow?
An armed knight—his helm was raised—
His face was unco pale,
An' his lip was white, an' his e'en were glazed—
Red bluid was on his mail.
A form is with them now,—
Saints help thee, bride!—is this the one
Who hath thy virgin vow?
An armed knight—his helm was raised—
His face was unco pale,
An' his lip was white, an' his e'en were glazed—
Red bluid was on his mail.
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He spake nae word—he took the han'
O' Agnes in his ain',
An' the grey auld monk couldna but stan'
Before the awesome twain.
A' tremblingly he spake the word
Which made them e'en as one;
An' the many guests in silence heard
The awfu' ritual done.
O' Agnes in his ain',
An' the grey auld monk couldna but stan'
Before the awesome twain.
A' tremblingly he spake the word
Which made them e'en as one;
An' the many guests in silence heard
The awfu' ritual done.
The bridgegroom turned frae the holy man
An' led his bride awa',—
The guests sat still an' raised nae han'
Within that silent ha';
They passed awa'—the strong doors turned
As wi' an unseen power;
An' the lamp o' a feeble meteor burned
To light them frae the tower.
An' led his bride awa',—
The guests sat still an' raised nae han'
Within that silent ha';
They passed awa'—the strong doors turned
As wi' an unseen power;
An' the lamp o' a feeble meteor burned
To light them frae the tower.
There was wailing in that castle long—
The bride came not again—
The master shunned his vassal throng
And the minstrel's idle strain.
An' the peasant tells a fearsome tale
By his evening fireside
O' the gentle girl an' the knight in mail—
The spectre an' his bride.
The bride came not again—
The master shunned his vassal throng
And the minstrel's idle strain.
An' the peasant tells a fearsome tale
By his evening fireside
O' the gentle girl an' the knight in mail—
The spectre an' his bride.
Philadelphia Album, August 12, 1829
| [Poems by Whittier in] A Study of Whittier's Apprenticeship as a Poet | |