Fair or foul-on land or sea Come the wind or weather, We shall share together. Death, who friend from friend can part, Brother rend from brother, Shall but link us, heart and heart, Closer to each other: We will call his anger play, Deem his dart a feather, When we meet him on our way Hand in hand together. Winthrop Mackworth Praed [1802-1839] "I SAW TWO CLOUDS AT MORNING" I SAW two clouds at morning, Tinged by the rising sun, And in the dawn they floated on, And mingled into one; I thought that morning cloud was blest, It moved so sweetly to the west. I saw two summer currents Flow smoothly to their meeting, And join their course, with silent force, In peace each other greeting; Calm was their course through banks of green, Such be your gentle motion, Till life's last pulse shall beat; Like summer's beam, and summer's stream, Float on, in joy, to meet A calmer sea, where storms shall cease, A purer sky, where all is peace. John Gardiner Calkins Brainard [1796-1828] Holy Matrimony 1197 HOLY MATRIMONY THE Voice that breathed o'er Eden, Still in the pure espousal Of Christian man and maid, The holy Three are with us, The threefold grace is said. For dower of blessed children, For love and faith's sweet sake, For high mysterious union, Which naught on earth may break. Be present, awful Father, As Eve thou gav'st to Adam Be present, Son of Mary, To join their loving hands, As thou didst bind two natures In thine eternal bands: Be present, Holiest Spirit, To bless them as they kneel, Oh, spread thy pure wing o'er them, When onward to thine altar The hallowed path they trace, To cast their crowns before thee In perfect sacrifice, Till to the home of gladness With Christ's own Bride they rise. AMEN. John Keble [1792-1866] THE BRIDE BEAT on the Tom-toms, and scatter the flowers, Jasmine, hibiscus, vermilion and white, This is the day, and the Hour of Hours, Bring forth the Bride for her Lover's delight. Maidens no more as a maiden shall claim her, Near, in his Mystery, draweth Desire. Who, if she waver a moment, shall blame her? She is a flower, and love is a fire. Give her the anklets, the ring, and the necklace, Bridegroom, a whisper,-be gentle and tender, Bring forth the silks and the veil that shall cover Beauty, till yesterday careless and wild; Red are her lips for the kiss of a lover, Ripe are her breasts for the lips of a child.` Center and Shrine of Mysterious Power, Chalice of Pleasure and Rose of Delight, Shyly aware of the swift-coming hour, Waiting the shade and the silence of night. Still must the Bridegroom his longing dissemble, Fingers well skilled with the bridle and sword. Thine is his valor, oh Bride, and his beauty, Thine to possess and re-issue again, Such is thy tender and passionate duty, Licit thy pleasure and honored thy pain. A Marriage Charm 1199 Choti Tinchaurya, lovely and tender, Still all unbroken to sorrow and strife, Come to the Bridegroom who, silk-clad and slender, Laurence Hope [1865-1904] A MARRIAGE CHARM I SET a charm upon your hurrying breath, A woman's love nine Angels cannot bind, I set a charm upon you, foot and hand, That you and Knowledge, love, may never meet, That you may never chance to understand How strong you are, how weak your lover, Sweet. I set my charm upon your kindly arm, I bid your wandering footsteps me to follow, I am your dream, Sweet; so no more of dreaming, Nora Hopper [1871 "LIKE A LAVEROCK IN THE LIFT" It's we two, it's we two, it's we two for aye, What's the world, my lass, my love!-what can it do? I am thine, and thou art mine; life is sweet and new. If the world have missed the mark, let it stand by; For we two have gotten leave, and once more we'll try. Like a laverock in the lift, sing, O bonny bride! When the darker days come, and no sun will shine, MY OWEN PROUD of you, fond of you, clinging so near to you, Light is my heart now I know I am dear to you! Glad is my voice now, so free it may sing for you All the wild love that is burning within for you! Tell me once more, tell it over and over, The tale of that eve which first saw you my lover. Now I need never blush At my heart's hottest gush The wife of my Owen her heart may discover! Proud of you, fond of you, having all right in you, Quitting all else through my love and delight in you! Glad is my heart since 'tis beating so nigh to you! Light is my step for it always may fly to you! |