Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE WOMAN-SOUL by ALFRED NOYES

Poet Analysis

First Line: THEY STOOD BEFORE THE FIERY GATE
Last Line: SHE ENTERED IN -- ALONE.
Subject(s): WOMEN;
THEY stood before the fiery Gate,
With hearts and lips afire,
To triumph over fear and fate
For the dream of his desire;
"O love," he said, and bowed his head
To meet her sacred kiss,
"This is the hour that crowns us, earth
And heaven were made for this."

And she looked up into his face,
And found her true love there:
It was the parting of the ways,
Unless her soul could dare
Enter the dreadful doors where none
May draw this quickening breath
Or drink the glory of the sun
But Love and Sin and Death.

Enter the dreadful doors and meet
The mockery and the shame
That wrap the soul from head to feet
In a winding-sheet of flame!
Yet in her eyes he saw his own
Undimmed by doubt or sin:
"To save my soul," she heard him moan,
"We two must enter in."

Enter the dreadful doors and dream
The world well lost for love;
Would not the choral angels gleam
Around, beneath, above?
Her blinded eyelids closed; her head
Bent back beneath his kiss:
"If love is on my side," she said,
"I need no more than this.

"Enter, and I will follow; lead;
I know thy great heart well;
A heart to beat with mine and bleed
With mine in heaven or hell;
Enter;" and lo, his whitening face
Looked down, "Nay, love, but thou
Lead me and save me of thy grace,
Or sin will slay me now.

"Upward and on the woman-soul
Shall lead this baser clay,
Subdue and kindle and control" ...
"Yes; I will lead the way;
You know not why your strength is fled,
And I so glad of this!
My true love hath my heart," she said,
"But I -- oh, I have his.

"Look -- follow me -- for I will lead;
I bear thy great heart well,
A heart to beat with mine and bleed
With mine in heaven or hell,"
And through the Gate that, gaunt and black,
Swung open with a groan,
Smiling, she passed; the man shrunk back;
She entered in -- alone.



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