 | Carmina crucis |  |
71
SPONSALIA AMORIS ET DOLORIS.
“Behold these lovers, that with looks elate
Upon each other gaze! who may they be
But Francis with his vow'd, his chosen mate,
His dearest Poverty!”
Upon each other gaze! who may they be
But Francis with his vow'd, his chosen mate,
His dearest Poverty!”
So Dante spake; “her kind
First husband dead, she lived withdrawn from sight,
Nor ever thought a second spouse to find,
A second troth to plight.”
First husband dead, she lived withdrawn from sight,
Nor ever thought a second spouse to find,
A second troth to plight.”
“With bare and wounded feet
She trod the cruel thorns unwooed till now,
For none but holy Francis guess'd how sweet
The rose-bloom on her brow.”
She trod the cruel thorns unwooed till now,
For none but holy Francis guess'd how sweet
The rose-bloom on her brow.”
72
And now a lowly pair
They dwell content, possessing and possest,
And day by day grows Poverty more fair,
Grows Francis still more blest.
They dwell content, possessing and possest,
And day by day grows Poverty more fair,
Grows Francis still more blest.
Yet to a sterner troth
Than Francis pledged, I bind you, spirits high!
Fear not to plight with mine your spousal oath,—
The bride is ever nigh.
Than Francis pledged, I bind you, spirits high!
Fear not to plight with mine your spousal oath,—
The bride is ever nigh.
But who her hand will fold
In his? her form unto his bosom strain?
What heart so tender found, what heart so bold
To be the mate of Pain?
In his? her form unto his bosom strain?
What heart so tender found, what heart so bold
To be the mate of Pain?
What eyes can brook the gaze
Of her wild eyes? what ears can bear the moan
She maketh through dark nights and silent days,
That she hath dwelt alone?
Of her wild eyes? what ears can bear the moan
She maketh through dark nights and silent days,
That she hath dwelt alone?
Yet fear not thou to take
This woman for thy bride, oh soul elect!
Fear not thy choice, thy pride, thy joy to make
Of her whom all reject!
This woman for thy bride, oh soul elect!
Fear not thy choice, thy pride, thy joy to make
Of her whom all reject!
73
Oh! fear not thou to grasp
Her shrinking form, nor spare for fond caress,
Only within Love's strictest, closest clasp
Can Anguish learn to bless.
Her shrinking form, nor spare for fond caress,
Only within Love's strictest, closest clasp
Can Anguish learn to bless.
And quail not though she change
Within thine arms to some foul fearful shape,
Still hold her through each aspect wild and strange,
And let her not escape!
Within thine arms to some foul fearful shape,
Still hold her through each aspect wild and strange,
And let her not escape!
So shall she turn and meet
Thy gaze with ardours, transports all her own,
And give, for thine, look, smile and word more sweet
Than joy hath ever known.
Thy gaze with ardours, transports all her own,
And give, for thine, look, smile and word more sweet
Than joy hath ever known.
So shall the willing air
Be wooed with softest marriage peal,—the knell
Toll'd for the passing of a long despair,—
Yea, down to deepest hell
Be wooed with softest marriage peal,—the knell
Toll'd for the passing of a long despair,—
Yea, down to deepest hell
Its sound will pass, and say,
“Rejoice thou under-world! a warfare long,
Confused, hath roll'd to victory away,—
The strong hath met the strong;
“Rejoice thou under-world! a warfare long,
Confused, hath roll'd to victory away,—
The strong hath met the strong;
74
“Love weds with Pain,—let Sin
And Death abide, and deem their empire sure,
What now can be too hard for Love to win,
For Anguish to endure?”
And Death abide, and deem their empire sure,
What now can be too hard for Love to win,
For Anguish to endure?”
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