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The Marriage Before Death, And Other Poems

By George Barlow
Barlow, George

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THE MARRIAGE BEFORE DEATH,
 I. 
Scene I.—In a large Cell in the Prison.
 II. 
Scene II.—On the way to Execution.
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TUA-TUA: or, ROSE-ROSE:
 I. 
Scene I.—In a Dell in the Forest.
 2. 
Scene 2.—In the forest.
 III. 
Scene III.—Chorus of attendant Dyak Maidens, bringing Tua-Tua bound towards the Altar of the Fetish in the black stony valley. Priests of the god, Soldiers, etc.
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LOVE'S EARLY MUSIC.
 I. 
I.—THE SONG OF THE BLACK-BROWN HAIR.
 II. 
II.—PASSION'S MYSTICISM.
  
A VISION IN HYDE PARK.
  
THE ROSE WILL BLOSSOM NONE THE LESS.
  
TO MAZZINI TRIUMPHANT.
  
DEATH OR YOU.
  
TO THEE, LOVE.
  
MARIA FORSTER AND JEAN PAUL.
  
A MEETING: AFTER FIVE YEARS.
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TO GERTRUDE IN THE SPIRIT WORLD.
  
WHAT ART THOU LIKE?
  
THOU ART THE SUMMER.
  
THE HAY-FIELDS ON THE CLIFF TOP.
  
SWEET PASSIONATE SPIRIT.
  
THY LAUGHTER.
  
WHAT MATTERS IT?
  
A MAIDEN SPIRIT.
  
MAN'S DEVOTION AND WOMAN'S POTION:
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THE WRESTLE FOR A SOUL.
 1. 
Scene 1.—Morning.
 2. 
Scene 2.—At Night.
 3. 
Scene 3.—Early Morning.
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TO HELEN.
  
THE FRAGRANT NIGHT.
  
HAVING OUTLIVED, OUTSUFFERED.
  
OH, SEA!
  
STIR NOT.
  
AFTER THE DAY.
  
CALM.
  
ALONE TOGETHER.
  
STILL THERE.
  
THE GENIUS OF SOLOMON.
  
SONNET.
  
THE KITTEN.
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FOUR SONNETS.
 I. 
I.—THE ROSE OF GOD'S BLOOD.
 II. 
II.—THE CROWN OF FLOWERS.
 III. 
III.—IN ENGLAND'S NAME.
 IV. 
IV.—FACE TO FACE.
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THE RELIGION OF ART:
 I. 
I.—VENUS.
 II. 
II.—THE IMMEASURABLE ROSE.
 III. 
III.—UPON THE BREEZES.
 IV. 
IV.—CONTEMPLATION.
 V. 
V.—THE ARTIST.
 VI. 
VI.—LOVE.
 VII. 
VII.—DEATH.
 VIII. 
VIII.—THE DEATH OF THE FIRST FAIR WOMAN.
 IX. 
IX.—THE EMBRACE.
 X. 
X.—THE RAPTURE BEYOND.
 XI. 
XI.—WITHIN THE NIGHT.
 XII. 
XII.—NO DESPAIR.
 XIII. 
XIII.—THE FIRST ROSE.
 XIV. 
XIV.—THE FIRST RED ROSE.
 XV. 
XV.—FROM LOVE.
 XVI. 
XVI.—NO GREATER JOY.
 XVII. 
XVII.—AN ANGEL.
 XVIII. 
XVIII.—THE TEMPEST.
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THE MELODY OF LIFE.
 I. 
I.—LIFE.
 II. 
II.—HAS IT ALL PASSED?
 III. 
III.—THE LONE DAYS.
 IV. 
IV.—PAST KISSES.
 V. 
V.—THE JOY OF LOOKING BACK.
 VI. 
VI.—IT MAY BE.
  
A SOUL-WREATH.

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207

II.—THE CROWN OF FLOWERS.

Suggested by a picture, at the French Gallery, of Christ's head after death.

“Never a true crown, but Thy crown of thorn.”
—Macdonald.

It is a cursed lie! that pallid head
Is not the wearer of the only crown
That the white hands of kingly God lay down;
All garlands are not streaked with bitter red.
Bring flowers for other limbs than those which bled
On Calvary near the narrow-minded town—
Bring roses meet for snowy not for brown
And toil-worn breasts—this man is amply dead!
As for the speech that heads this sonnet, I
Declare that 'tis a cursed barren lie!
The only true crown is the crown of flowers!
As for the faith that there is only one
Triumphant victor underneath the sun,
That may be England's faith—it is not ours.
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