Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Thebridegroomstartedoutofadream:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Hewenttothedoor,andthereespied:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Thefigureofhissilentbride:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Hewenttothedoor,andletherin:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Whiterlookedshethanachildofsin:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Shelookedsowhite,shelookedsosweet:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Shelookedsopurehefellatherfeet:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Hefellatherfeetwithloveandawe:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Astainlessbodyoflighthesaw:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
OMargaret,sayyouarenotofthedead!
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Mybride!bytheangelsatnightareyouled?
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Iamnotledbytheangelsabout:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
ButIhaveadelwithintoletout:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
OMargaret!mybrideandsaint!
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Thereisonyounoearthlytaint:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Iamnosaint,andnobridecanIbe:
Redroseandwhileinthegarden;
UntilIhaveopenedmybosomtothee:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Tocatchatherheartshelaidonehand:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Shetoldthetalewhereshedidstand:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Shestoodbeforehimpaleandtall:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Hereyesbetweenhis,shetoldhimall:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Shesawhowherbodygrowfreckledandfoul:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Sheheardfromthewoodsthehootingowl:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Withneveraquerhermouthdidspeak:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Owhenshehaddoneshestoodsomeek!
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Thebridegroomstampedandcalledherle:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Hedidbutwakenalittlesmile:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Thebridegroomragedandcalledherfoul:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Sheheardfromthewoodsthehootingowl:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Hemutteredanamefullbitterandsore:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Shefellinalumponthestilldeadfloor:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Ogreatwasthewonder,andloudthewail:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Whenthroughthehouseholdflewthetale:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Theoldgreymothershedressedthebier:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Withasheringchinandneveratear:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
OhadyoubutdoneasIbadeyou,mychild!
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Youwouldnothavediedandbeenreled:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Thebridegroomhehungatmidnightbythebier:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
Heeyedthewhitegirlthro’adazzlingtear:
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Ohadyoubeenfalseasthewomenwhostray:
Redroseandwhiteinthegarden;
YouwouldnotbenowwiththeAngelsofDay!
Andthebirdsingsovertheroses。
Shecanbeaswiseaswe,Andwiserwhenshewishes;
Shecanknitwithcunningwit,Anddressthehomelydishes。
Shecanflourishstafforpen,Anddealawoundthatlingers;
Shecantalkthetalkofmen,Andtouchwiththrillingfingers。
Matchheryeacrossthesea,Naturesfondandfiery;
Yewhozesttheturtle’snestWiththeeagle’seyrie。
Softandlongishersoul,Swiftandloftysoaring;
Mingwithitsdove-likedolePassionateadoring。
Suchashewho’llmatchwithme?
Inflyingorpursuing,SubtlewilesareinhersmilesTosettheworlda-wooing。
Sheissteadfastasastar,Andyetthemaddestmaiden:
Shecanwageagallantwar,AndgethepeaceofEden。
BYMORNINGTWILIGHT
Night,likeadyingmother,Eyesheryoungoffspring,Day。
Thebirdsaredreamilypiping。
AndO,mylove,mydarling!
Thenightislifeebb’daway:
Awaybeyondourreach!
Aseathathascastuspaleonthebeach;
WeedswiththeweedsandthepebblesThathearthelonetamariskrootedinsandSwayWiththesongoftheseatotheland。
ThoughIamfaithfultomylovesledthrough,AndplacethemamongMemory’sgreatstars,WhereburnsafacelikeHesper:onelikeMars:
OfsagesIgetamoment’sew,Sweeteyesthatintheheavenofme,too,Ascend,tho’rgintomylifetheypassed。
Lo,thesewithinmydestinyseemglassedAttimessobright,IwishthatHopewerenew。
Agraciousfreckledlady,tallandgrave,Went,inashawlvoluminousandwhite,Lastsunsetby;andgoingsow’daglance。
Earthistoopoortoholdasecondchance;
IwillnotaskformorethanFortunegave:
Myheartshegoesfrom——neverfrommysight!
Omylover!thenightlikeabroadsmoothwaveBearsusonward,andmorn,ablackrock,shineswet。
HowIshuddered——IknewnotthatIwasaslave,TillIlookedonthyface:-thenIwrithedinthenet。
ThenIfeltlikeathingcaughtbyfire,thatherstarGloweddarkonthebosomofShemselnihar。
Andhecame,whoseIam:Omylover!hecame:
Andhisslave,stillsoenedofwomen,wasI:
AndIturnedasahissingleafspitsfromtheflame,Yes,Ishrelledtodustfromhim,haggardanddry。
Oforgeher:-shewasbutasdeadliliesare:
ThelifeofherheartfledfromShemselnihar。
YetwiththeelikeafullthrobbingrosehowIbloom!
Likearosebythefountainwhoseshoweringwehear,Aswelie,Omylover!inthisrichgloom,Smellingfaintthecoolbreathofthelemon-grovesnear。
Asweliegazingoutonthatglowinggreatstar-
Ah!darkonthebosomofShemselnihar。
YetwiththeeamInotasanarmofthene,Firmtobindthee,tocherishthee,feedtheesweet?
SwearanoathonmyliptoletnonedisentwineThelifethatherefawnstogewarmthtothyfeet。
Ionthine,thus!nomoreshallthatjewelledHeadjarThemusicthoubreathestonShemselnihar。
Faraway,faraway,wherethewanderingscentsOfallflowersaresweetest,whitemountainsamong,Theremykindredabideintheirgreenandbluetents:
Bearmetothem,mylover!theylostmesoyoung。
LetusslipdownthestreamandleapsteedtillafarNonequestionthyclaimuponShemselnihar。
Othatlongnotethebulbulgaveout——meaninglove!
Omylover,harktohimandthinkitmyvoice!
Thebluenightlikeagreatbell-flowerfromaboveDroopinglowandgold-eyed:O,buthearhimrejoice!
Canitbe?’twasaflash!thataccurstscimiterInthoughtevencutstheefromShemselnihar。
Yes,Iwouldthat,lessgenerous,hewouldoppress,Hewouldchainme,upbraidme,burndeepbrandsforhate,ThanwiththismaskoffreedomandgorgeousnessBespanglemyslavery,mockmystrangefate。
Would,would,would,Omylover,heknew——dareddebarThycoming,andearncurseofShemselnihar!
Aroarthro’thetalltwinelm-treesThemusteringstormbetrayed:
TheSouth-windseizedthewillowThatoverthewaterswayed。
ThenfellthesteadydelugeInwhichIstrovetodoze,HearingallnightatmywindowTheknockofthewinterrose。
Therainyroseofwinter!
Anoutcastitmustpine。
AndfromthybosomoutcastAmI,dearladymine。
WhenIwouldimageherfeatures,Comesupashroudedhead:
Itouchtheoutlines,shrinking;
Sheseemsofthewanderingdead。
Butwhenloveasksfornothing,Andliesonhisbedofsnow,Thefaceslipsundermyeyelids,Allinitslingglow。
Likeadarkcathedralcity,Whosespires,anddomes,andtowersQuerinoletlightnings,Mysoulbasksonforhours。
THESPIRITOFSHAKESPEARE
Thygreatestknewthee,MotherEarth;unsouredHeknewthysons。HeprobedfromhelltohellOfhumanpassions,butoflovedefloweredHiswisdomwasnot,forheknewtheewell。
Thencecamethehoneyedcornerathislips,TheconqueringsmilewhereinhisspiritsailsCalmastheGodwhothewhitesea-wavewhips,Yetfullofspeechandintershiftingtales,Closemirrorsofus:thencehadhethelaughWefeelisthine:broadastenthousandbeevesAtpasture!thencethysongs,thatwinnowchaffFromgrain,bidsickPhilosophy’slastleavesWhirl,iftheyhavenoresponse——theyenforcedTofattenEarthwhenfromhersouldorced。
HowsmilesheatagenerationrankedIngloomynoddingsoverlife!Theypass。
Nothetofeeduponabreastunthanked,Oreyeabeauteousfaceinacrackedglass。
ButhecanspythatlittletwistofbrainWhichmovedsomeweightyleaderoftheblind,Unwitting’twasthegoadofpersonalpain,ToewincursteclipseourMother’smind,AndshowusofsomerigidharridanThewretchedbondmentilltheendoftime。
OledtheMasternowtopaintusMan,ThatlittletwistofbrainwouldringachimeOfwhenceitcameandwhatitcaused,tostartThundersoflaughter,clearingairandheart。
FairMotherEarthlayonherbacklastnight,TogazeherfillonAutumn’ssunsetskies,WhenatawangofthefallenlightSprangrealmsofrosyfruitageo’erhereyes。
AlustrousheavenlyorchardhungtheWest,WhereinthebloodofEdenbloomedagain: