I WEAR a crown invisible and clear, And go my lifted royal way apart Since you have crowned me softly in your heart With love that is half ardent, half austere; And as a queen disguised might pass anear The bitter crowd that barters in a mart, Veiling her pride while tears of pity start, I hide my glory thru a jealous fear. My crown shall stay a sweet and secret thing Kept pure with prayer at evensong and morn, And when you come to take it from my head, I shall not weep, nor will a word be said, But I shall kneel before you, oh my king, And bind my brow forever with a thorn. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE SULTANA by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH TO JOANNA, ON SENDING ME THE LEAF OF A FLOWER ... WORDSWORTH'S GARDEN by BERNARD BARTON ANGER AND WRATH by WILLIAM BLAKE THE FIRST BUD O' THE YEAR by CHARLES GRANGER BLANDEN THE PAST by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT THE LITTLE MOTHERS by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON THE FOREGOING CRITICISM, IN ENGLISH VERSE by JOHN BYROM |