Yet, stranger! here, from year to year, Oh, Keith of Ravelston, The sorrows of thy line! Step out three steps, where Andrew stood- She makes her immemorial moan, The sorrows of thy line! S. DOBELL. 379 THE BLESSED DAMOZEL The blesséd damozel leaned out She had three lilies in her hand, And the stars in her hair were seven. Her robe, ungirt from clasp to hem, 35 40 5 But a white rose of Mary's gift, For service meetly worn ; 10 Her hair that lay along her back Was yellow like ripe corn. Herseemed she scarce had been a day 15 The wonder was not yet quite gone (To one, it is ten years of years. .... 20 Surely she leaned o'er me-her hair Nothing: the autumn fall of leaves. It was the rampart of God's house So high, that looking downward thence It lies in Heaven, across the flood Beneath, the tides of day and night Heard hardly, some of her new friends Spake evermore among themselves And the souls mounting up to God And still she bowed herself and stooped Out of the circling charm ; Until her bosom must have made 45 The bar she leaned on warm, And the lilies lay as if asleep Along her bended arm. From the fixed place of Heaven she saw Time like a pulse shake fierce Through all the worlds. Her gaze still strove Within the gulf to pierce Its path; and now she spoke as when 50 The sun was gone now; the curled moon 55 Was like a little feather Fluttering far down the gulf; and now (Ah sweet! Even now, in that bird's song, Fain to be hearkened ? When those bells Strove not her steps to reach my side 'I wish that he were come to me, For he will come,' she said. "Have I not prayed in Heaven ?-on earth, Lord, Lord, has he not prayed? Are not two prayers a perfect strength? 'When round his head the aureole clings, And he is clothed in white, I'll take his hand and go with him We will step down as to a stream, 60 65 70 75 'We two will stand beside that shrine, Occult, withheld, untrod, 80 Whose lamps are stirred continually With prayer sent up to God ; And see our old prayers, granted, melt 'We two will lie i' the shadow of 85 That living mystic tree, Within whose secret growth the Dove Is sometimes felt to be, While every leaf that His plumes touch 'And I myself will teach to him, I myself, lying_so, The songs I sing here; which his voice 90 And find some knowledge at each pause, (Alas! We two, we two, thou say'st. Yea, one wast thou with me That once of old. To endless unity But shall God lift The soul whose likeness with thy soul 'We two,' she said, 'will seek the groves Where the lady Mary is, 95 100 With her five handmaidens, whose names 105 Are five sweet symphonies, Cecily, Gertrude, Magdalen, Margaret and Rosalys. 'Circlewise sit they, with bound locks And foreheads garlanded; Into the fine cloth white like flame To fashion the birth-robes for them 110 'He shall fear, haply, and be dumb : Then will I lay my cheek 115 To his, and tell about our love, And the dear Mother will approve 6 My pride, and let me speak. 120 Herself shall bring us, hand in hand, Kneel, the clear-ranged unnumbered heads She gazed and listened and then said, Less sad of speech than mild, 'All this is when he comes.' She ceased. 135 (I saw her smile.) But soon their path And laid her face between her hands, 380 REST D. G. RoSSETTI. O Earth, lie heavily upon her eyes; 140 Seal her sweet eyes weary of watching, Earth; Lie close around her; leave no room for mirth With its harsh laughter, nor for sound of sighs. She hath no questions, she hath no replies, Hushed in and curtained with a blesséd dearth Even her very heart has ceased to stir : Her rest shall not begin nor end, but be ; And when she wakes she will not think it long. C. G. RosSETTI. 5 10 381 SONG When I am dead, my dearest, Sing no sad songs for me; |