HAVE you not noted how in early spring, From out the forests, past the murmuring brooks, O'er the hillsides, Nature, with airy grace, Like some fair virgin, touched by lights and shades, Glides timidly, a veil of golden mist About her brows, and budding bosom draped In maiden coyness? She's a bride betrothed Unto that mystic god, who comes from far, Rich Orient lands upon the winds of June, That bear him like swift ardors, winged with fire; And when, on some calm, lustrous morn, her lord Uplifts the golden veil, and weds to hers The quickening warmth of ripe, immortal lips, How the broad earth leaps into raptured life, And thrills with music! Then a queenly spouse Raised unto fruitful empire, through all hours Of bounteous summer, she walks proudly on, Shining with blissful eyes of matronhood, Till, at the last, autumn, with reverent hand, Doth crown her with such full, completed joy, Such wealth of sovereign beauty, she once more About her brows and sumptuous bosom folds That golden veil, -- not in the tremulous fear Of maiden coyness now, but lest rash men, Drawn by her awful loveliness, should dare To gaze too closely on it, and thus fall, Smitten and blind, at her imperial feet! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO A DARK GIRL by GWENDOLYN B. BENNETT THE NIGHTINGALE; A CONVERSATION POEM by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE THE BOSTON EVENING TRANSCRIPT by THOMAS STEARNS ELIOT ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY by JOHN STERLING (1806-1844) THE TRIUMPH OF TIME by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE |