 | The Battle-Day and Other Poems |  |
II.
A fair maid came to Lindsay Hall:
Oh! grand was her array,
With liege and lord, and free and thrall,
And pomp of silken sway;
Oh! grand was her array,
With liege and lord, and free and thrall,
And pomp of silken sway;
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And acres broad and castles high,
And famous old descent;
And heart with true nobility,
And mind with pure intent.
And famous old descent;
And heart with true nobility,
And mind with pure intent.
The mother smiled: “She brings thee gold!”
Lord Lindsay turned away:
“Twas steel that built my house of old,
Gold saves it not to-day!”
Lord Lindsay turned away:
“Twas steel that built my house of old,
Gold saves it not to-day!”
The mother smiled: “She brings thee love!”
Lord Lindsay turned away:
“So many said—to my fathers dead!
Tho' fair, yet false were they.”
Lord Lindsay turned away:
“So many said—to my fathers dead!
Tho' fair, yet false were they.”
The maiden heard: “Since love nor gold
“Thy brave great heart may gain,
Thou'rt worthy of the faith I fold
Around it like a chain.”
“Thy brave great heart may gain,
Thou'rt worthy of the faith I fold
Around it like a chain.”
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Lord Lindsay's at the maiden's feet,
A cloud beneath a star—
Uplit by her.—Oh! love is sweet,
But faith is sweeter far!
A cloud beneath a star—
Uplit by her.—Oh! love is sweet,
But faith is sweeter far!
And as he weds that glorious bride,
Like night to morning wed,
She breathes: “To love is to confide,
“But doubt—and love is dead.”
Like night to morning wed,
She breathes: “To love is to confide,
“But doubt—and love is dead.”
| The Battle-Day and Other Poems | |