 | My Lyrical Life |  |
5
BABE CHRISTABEL.
It fell upon a merry May morn,
All in the prime of that sweet time
When daisies whiten, woodbines climb,—
The dear Babe Christabel was born:
All in the prime of that sweet time
When daisies whiten, woodbines climb,—
The dear Babe Christabel was born:
When Earth like Danaë bares her charms,
That for the coming God unfold,
Who, in the Sunshine's shower of Gold
Leaps warmly into her amorous arms;
That for the coming God unfold,
Who, in the Sunshine's shower of Gold
Leaps warmly into her amorous arms;
When Beauty dons her daintiest dress,
And, fed with April's mellow showers,
The woods laugh out all leaves and flowers
That flush for very happiness;
And, fed with April's mellow showers,
The woods laugh out all leaves and flowers
That flush for very happiness;
And Spider-Puck his wonder weaves
O' nights: and nooks of greening gloom
Grow rich with Violets that bloom
In the cool dusk of dewy leaves;
O' nights: and nooks of greening gloom
Grow rich with Violets that bloom
In the cool dusk of dewy leaves;
Green fields transfigure, like a page
Of Fable to the eye of Faith;
Where cowslips and primroses rathe
Bring back a real Golden Age;
Of Fable to the eye of Faith;
Where cowslips and primroses rathe
Bring back a real Golden Age;
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When Rose-buds drink the fiery wine
Of Dawn, with crimson stains i' the mouth,
All thirstily as yearning Youth
From Love's hand drinks the draught divine;
Of Dawn, with crimson stains i' the mouth,
All thirstily as yearning Youth
From Love's hand drinks the draught divine;
When fainting hearts forget their fears,
And in the poorest Life's salt cup
Some rare wine runs, and Hope builds up
Her rainbow over Memory's tears,—
And in the poorest Life's salt cup
Some rare wine runs, and Hope builds up
Her rainbow over Memory's tears,—
It fell upon a merry May morn,
All in the prime of that sweet time
When daisies whiten, woodbines climb,—
The dear Babe Christabel was born.
All in the prime of that sweet time
When daisies whiten, woodbines climb,—
The dear Babe Christabel was born.
All night the Stars bright watches kept,
Like Gods that look a golden calm;
The Silence dropped its precious balm,
And the tired world serenely slept.
Like Gods that look a golden calm;
The Silence dropped its precious balm,
And the tired world serenely slept.
The birds were darkling in the nest,
Or bosomed in voluptuous trees:
On beds of flowers the happy breeze
Had kissed its fill and sank to rest.
Or bosomed in voluptuous trees:
On beds of flowers the happy breeze
Had kissed its fill and sank to rest.
All night beneath the Cottage eaves,
A lonely light, with tremulous Arc,
Surged back a space the sea of dark,
And glanced among the shimmering leaves.
A lonely light, with tremulous Arc,
Surged back a space the sea of dark,
And glanced among the shimmering leaves.
And when the Morn with frolic zest,
Unclosed the curtains of the night,
There was a dearer dawn of light,
A tenderer life the Mother's pressed,
Unclosed the curtains of the night,
There was a dearer dawn of light,
A tenderer life the Mother's pressed,
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And she at all her suffering smiled.
The Star new-kindled in the dark—
Life that had fluttered like a Lark—
Lay in her bosom a sweet Child!
The Star new-kindled in the dark—
Life that had fluttered like a Lark—
Lay in her bosom a sweet Child!
How she had felt it drawing down
Her nesting heart more close and close,—
Her rose-bud ripening to the Rose,
That she should one day see full-blown!
Her nesting heart more close and close,—
Her rose-bud ripening to the Rose,
That she should one day see full-blown!
How she had throbbed with hopes and fears,
And strained her inner eyes till dim,
To see the expected glory swim
Through the rich mist of happy tears;
And strained her inner eyes till dim,
To see the expected glory swim
Through the rich mist of happy tears;
For it, her woman's heart drank up,
And laughed at, Sorrow's darkest dole:
And now Delight's most dainty soul
Was crushed for her in one rich cup!
And laughed at, Sorrow's darkest dole:
And now Delight's most dainty soul
Was crushed for her in one rich cup!
And then delicious languors crept,
Like nectar, on her pain's hot drouth,
And feeling fingers—kissing mouth—
Being faint with joy, the Mother slept.
Like nectar, on her pain's hot drouth,
And feeling fingers—kissing mouth—
Being faint with joy, the Mother slept.
Babe Christabel was royally born!
For when the earth was flushed with flowers,
And drenched with beauty in sun-showers,
She came through golden gates of Morn.
For when the earth was flushed with flowers,
And drenched with beauty in sun-showers,
She came through golden gates of Morn.
No chamber arras-pictured round,
Where sunbeams make a gorgeous gloom,
And touch its glories into bloom,
And footsteps fall withouten sound,
Where sunbeams make a gorgeous gloom,
And touch its glories into bloom,
And footsteps fall withouten sound,
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Was her Birth-place that merry May-morn;
No gifts were heaped, no bells were rung,
No healths were drunk, no songs were sung
When dear Babe Christabel was born:
No gifts were heaped, no bells were rung,
No healths were drunk, no songs were sung
When dear Babe Christabel was born:
But Nature on the darling smiled,
And with her beauty's blessing crowned:
Love brooded o'er the hallowed ground,
And there were Angels with the Child.
And with her beauty's blessing crowned:
Love brooded o'er the hallowed ground,
And there were Angels with the Child.
And May her kisses of love did bring;
Her Birds made welcoming merriment,
And all her flowers in greeting sent
The secret sweetnesses of Spring.
Her Birds made welcoming merriment,
And all her flowers in greeting sent
The secret sweetnesses of Spring.
In glancing light and glimmering shade,
With cheeks that touched and ripelier burned
May-Roses in at the lattice yearned,
A-tiptoe, and Good Morrow bade.
With cheeks that touched and ripelier burned
May-Roses in at the lattice yearned,
A-tiptoe, and Good Morrow bade.
No purple and fine linen might
Be hoarded up for her sweet sake:
But Mother's love will clothe and make
The little wearer bravely dight!
Be hoarded up for her sweet sake:
But Mother's love will clothe and make
The little wearer bravely dight!
Wide worlds of worship are their eyes,
Their loyal hearts are worlds of love,
Who fondly clasp their cooing Dove,
And read its news from Paradise.
Their loyal hearts are worlds of love,
Who fondly clasp their cooing Dove,
And read its news from Paradise.
Their looks praise God—souls sing for glee:
They think if this old world had toiled
Through ages to bring forth their child,
It was a glorious destiny.
They think if this old world had toiled
Through ages to bring forth their child,
It was a glorious destiny.
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O happy Husband! happy Wife!
The rarest blessing Heaven drops down,
The sweetest blossom in Spring's crown,
Starts in the furrows of your life!
The rarest blessing Heaven drops down,
The sweetest blossom in Spring's crown,
Starts in the furrows of your life!
Ah! what a towering height ye win,
Who cry, “Lo, my beloved Child!”
And, life on life sublimely piled,
Ye touch the heavens and peep within.
Who cry, “Lo, my beloved Child!”
And, life on life sublimely piled,
Ye touch the heavens and peep within.
Look how a star of glory swims
Down aching silences of space,
Flushing the Darkness till its face
With beating heart of light o'erbrims;
Down aching silences of space,
Flushing the Darkness till its face
With beating heart of light o'erbrims;
So brightening came Babe Christabel,
To touch the earth with fresh romance,
And light a Mother's countenance
With looking on her miracle.
To touch the earth with fresh romance,
And light a Mother's countenance
With looking on her miracle.
With hands so flower-like soft, and fair,
She caught at life, with words as sweet
As first spring violets, and feet
As faëry-light as feet of air.
She caught at life, with words as sweet
As first spring violets, and feet
As faëry-light as feet of air.
The Father, down in Toil's mirk mine,
Turns to his wealthier world above,
Its radiance, and its home of love;
And lights his life like sun-struck wine.
Turns to his wealthier world above,
Its radiance, and its home of love;
And lights his life like sun-struck wine.
The Mother moves with queenlier tread:
Proud swell the globes of ripe delight
Above her heart, so warm and white
A pillow for the baby-head!
Proud swell the globes of ripe delight
Above her heart, so warm and white
A pillow for the baby-head!
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Their natures deepen, well-like, clear,
Till God's eternal stars are seen,
For ever shining and serene,
By eyes anointed Beauty's seer.
Till God's eternal stars are seen,
For ever shining and serene,
By eyes anointed Beauty's seer.
A sense of glory all things took,—
The red Rose-Heart of Dawn would blow,
And Sundown's sumptuous pictures show
Babe-Cherubs wearing their Babe's look!
The red Rose-Heart of Dawn would blow,
And Sundown's sumptuous pictures show
Babe-Cherubs wearing their Babe's look!
And round their peerless one they clung,
Like bees about a flower's wine-cup;
New thoughts and feelings blossomed up,
And hearts for very fulness sung
Like bees about a flower's wine-cup;
New thoughts and feelings blossomed up,
And hearts for very fulness sung
Of what their budding Babe should grow,
When the Maid crimsoned into Wife,
And crowned the summit of some life,
To bear the morning on her brow!
When the Maid crimsoned into Wife,
And crowned the summit of some life,
To bear the morning on her brow!
And they should bless her for a Bride,
Who, like a splendid saint alit
In some heart's seventh heaven, should sit,
As now in theirs, all glorified.
Who, like a splendid saint alit
In some heart's seventh heaven, should sit,
As now in theirs, all glorified.
'Twas thus they built their Castles brave
In faëry lands of gorgeous cloud;
They never saw a wee white shroud,
Nor guessed how flowers will mask the grave.
In faëry lands of gorgeous cloud;
They never saw a wee white shroud,
Nor guessed how flowers will mask the grave.
She grew, a sweet and sinless Child,
In shine and shower,—calm and strife;
A Rainbow on our dark of Life,
From Love's own radiant heaven down-smiled!
In shine and shower,—calm and strife;
A Rainbow on our dark of Life,
From Love's own radiant heaven down-smiled!
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In lonely loveliness she grew,—
A shape all music, light, and love,
With startling looks, so eloquent of
The spirit whitening into view.
A shape all music, light, and love,
With startling looks, so eloquent of
The spirit whitening into view.
At Childhood she could seldom play
With merry heart, whose flashes rise
Like splendour-wingèd butterflies
From honeyed hearts of flowers in May:
With merry heart, whose flashes rise
Like splendour-wingèd butterflies
From honeyed hearts of flowers in May:
The fields in blossom flamed and flushed,
The Roses into crimson yearned,
With cloudy fire the wall-flowers burned,
And blood-red Sunsets bloomed and blushed,—
The Roses into crimson yearned,
With cloudy fire the wall-flowers burned,
And blood-red Sunsets bloomed and blushed,—
And still her cheek grew pale as pearl,—
It took no tint of Summer's wealth
Of colour, warmth, and wine of Health:
Death's hand so whitely pressed the Girl!
It took no tint of Summer's wealth
Of colour, warmth, and wine of Health:
Death's hand so whitely pressed the Girl!
No blush grew ripe to sun or kiss
Where violet veins ran purple light,
So tenderly through Parian white,
Touching you into tenderness.
Where violet veins ran purple light,
So tenderly through Parian white,
Touching you into tenderness.
A spirit-look was in her face,
That shadowed a miraculous range
Of meanings, ever rich and strange,
Or lightened glory in the place.
That shadowed a miraculous range
Of meanings, ever rich and strange,
Or lightened glory in the place.
Such mystic lore was in her eyes,
And light of other worlds than ours,
She looked as she had gathered flowers,
With little maids of Paradise.
And light of other worlds than ours,
She looked as she had gathered flowers,
With little maids of Paradise.
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And she would talk so weirdly-wild,
And grow upon your wonderings,
As though her stature rose on wings!
And you forgot she was a Child.
And grow upon your wonderings,
As though her stature rose on wings!
And you forgot she was a Child.
Ah! she was one of those who come
With pledge and promise not to stay
Long, ere the Angels let them stray
To nestle down in earthly home:
With pledge and promise not to stay
Long, ere the Angels let them stray
To nestle down in earthly home:
And, through the windows of her eyes,
We often saw her saintly soul,
Serene, and sad, and beautiful,
Go sorrowing for lost Paradise!
We often saw her saintly soul,
Serene, and sad, and beautiful,
Go sorrowing for lost Paradise!
Our Lamb in mystic meadows played:
In some celestial sleep she walked
Her dream of life, and low we talked,
As of her waking heart-afraid.
In some celestial sleep she walked
Her dream of life, and low we talked,
As of her waking heart-afraid.
In Earth she took no lusty root,
Her beauty of promise to disclose,
Or round into the Woman-Rose,
And climb into Life's crowning fruit.
Her beauty of promise to disclose,
Or round into the Woman-Rose,
And climb into Life's crowning fruit.
She came,—as comes the light of smiles
O'er earth, and every budding thing
Makes quick with beauty—alive with Spring;
Then goeth to the golden Isles.
O'er earth, and every budding thing
Makes quick with beauty—alive with Spring;
Then goeth to the golden Isles.
She came—like music in the night
Floating as heaven in the brain,
A moment oped, and shut again,
And all is dark where all was light.
Floating as heaven in the brain,
A moment oped, and shut again,
And all is dark where all was light.
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Midnight was trancèd solemnly
Thinking of dawn: Her Star-thoughts burned;
The Trees like burdened Prophets yearned,
Rapt in a wind of prophecy:
Thinking of dawn: Her Star-thoughts burned;
The Trees like burdened Prophets yearned,
Rapt in a wind of prophecy:
When, like the Night, the shadow of Woe
On all things laid its hand death-dark,
Our last hope went out as a spark,
And a cry smote heaven like a blow.
On all things laid its hand death-dark,
Our last hope went out as a spark,
And a cry smote heaven like a blow.
We sat and watched by Life's dark stream,
Our love-lamp blown about the night,
With hearts that lived as lived its light,
And died as died its precious gleam.
Our love-lamp blown about the night,
With hearts that lived as lived its light,
And died as died its precious gleam.
In Death's face hers flashed up and smiled,
As smile the young flowers in their prime,
I' the face of their gray murderer Time,
And Death for true love kissed our child.
As smile the young flowers in their prime,
I' the face of their gray murderer Time,
And Death for true love kissed our child.
She thought our good-night kiss was given,
And like a flower her life did close.
Angels uncurtained that repose,
And the next waking dawned in heaven.
And like a flower her life did close.
Angels uncurtained that repose,
And the next waking dawned in heaven.
They snatched our little tenderling,
So shyly opening into view,
Delighted, as the Children do
The primrose that is first in Spring.
So shyly opening into view,
Delighted, as the Children do
The primrose that is first in Spring.
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With her white hands clasped she sleepeth; heart is hushed, and lips are cold;
Death shrouds up her heaven of beauty, and a weary way we go,
Like the sheep without a Shepherd on the wintry norland wold,
With the face of Day shut out by blinding snow.
Death shrouds up her heaven of beauty, and a weary way we go,
Like the sheep without a Shepherd on the wintry norland wold,
With the face of Day shut out by blinding snow.
O'er its widowed nest my heart sits moaning for its youngling fled
From this world of wail and weeping, gone to join her starry peers;
And my light of life's o'ershadowed where the dear one lieth dead,
And I'm crying in the dark with many fears.
From this world of wail and weeping, gone to join her starry peers;
And my light of life's o'ershadowed where the dear one lieth dead,
And I'm crying in the dark with many fears.
All last night-tide she seemed near me, like a lost beloved Bird,
Beating at the lattice louder than the sobbing wind and rain;
And I called across the night with tender name and fondling word;
And I yearned out through the darkness, all in vain.
Beating at the lattice louder than the sobbing wind and rain;
And I called across the night with tender name and fondling word;
And I yearned out through the darkness, all in vain.
Heart will plead, “Eyes cannot see her: they are blind with tears of pain;”
And it climbeth up and straineth for dear life to look and hark
While I call her once again: but there cometh no refrain,
And it droppeth down, and dieth in the dark.
And it climbeth up and straineth for dear life to look and hark
While I call her once again: but there cometh no refrain,
And it droppeth down, and dieth in the dark.
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In this dim world of clouding cares,
We rarely know, till wildered eyes
See white wings lessening up the skies,
The Angels with us unawares.
We rarely know, till wildered eyes
See white wings lessening up the skies,
The Angels with us unawares.
And thou hast stolen a jewel, Death!
Shall light thy dark up like a Star,
A Beacon kindling from afar
Our light of love, and fainting faith.
Shall light thy dark up like a Star,
A Beacon kindling from afar
Our light of love, and fainting faith.
Through tears it streams perpetually,
And glitters through the thickest glooms,
Till the eternal morning comes
To light us o'er the Jasper Sea.
And glitters through the thickest glooms,
Till the eternal morning comes
To light us o'er the Jasper Sea.
With our best branch in tenderest leaf,
We've strewn the way our Lord doth come;
And, ready for the harvest-home,
His Reapers bind our ripest sheaf.
We've strewn the way our Lord doth come;
And, ready for the harvest-home,
His Reapers bind our ripest sheaf.
Our beautiful Bird of light hath fled:
Awhile she sat with folded wings—
Sang round us a few hoverings—
Then straightway into glory sped.
Awhile she sat with folded wings—
Sang round us a few hoverings—
Then straightway into glory sped.
With sense of Motherhood new-found
Some white-winged Angel nurtures her,
High on the heavenly hills of myrrh,
With all Love's purple glory round.
Some white-winged Angel nurtures her,
High on the heavenly hills of myrrh,
With all Love's purple glory round.
Through Childhood's morning-land, serene
She walked betwixt us twain, like Love;
While, in a robe of light above,
Her watching Angel walked unseen,
She walked betwixt us twain, like Love;
While, in a robe of light above,
Her watching Angel walked unseen,
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Till Life's highway broke bleak and wild;
Then, lest her starry garments trail
In mire, heart bleed, and courage fail,
The Angel's arms caught up the child.
Then, lest her starry garments trail
In mire, heart bleed, and courage fail,
The Angel's arms caught up the child.
Her wave of life hath backward rolled
To the great ocean; on whose shore
We wander up and down, to store
Some treasures of the times of old:
To the great ocean; on whose shore
We wander up and down, to store
Some treasures of the times of old:
And aye we seek and hunger on
For precious pearls and relics rare,
Strewn on the sands for us to wear
At heart, for love of her that's gone.
For precious pearls and relics rare,
Strewn on the sands for us to wear
At heart, for love of her that's gone.
O weep no more! there yet is balm
In Gilead; Love doth ever shed
Rich healing where it nestles,—spread
O'er desert pillows, some green Palm!
In Gilead; Love doth ever shed
Rich healing where it nestles,—spread
O'er desert pillows, some green Palm!
God's ichor fills the hearts that bleed;
The best fruit loads the broken bough;
And in the wounds our sufferings plough,
Love sows its own immortal seed.
The best fruit loads the broken bough;
And in the wounds our sufferings plough,
Love sows its own immortal seed.
Strange glory runs down Life's cloud-rents,
And through the open door of Death
We see the hand that beckoneth
To the beloved going hence.
And through the open door of Death
We see the hand that beckoneth
To the beloved going hence.
| My Lyrical Life | |