Her rippling waves of golden hair In one great coil were tightly twisted; But locks would break it, here and there, And curl about where'er they listed, And then her sleeve came down, and I Fastened it up her hands were doughy; O, it did take the longest time! Her arm, Ned, was so round and snowy. She blushed, and trembled, and looked shy; Somehow that made me all the bolder; Her arch lips looked so red that I Well - found her head upon my shoulder. We're to be married, Ned, next month; I really think that bachelors Are the most miserable devils! ANONYMOUS. POSSESSION. A POET loved a Star, And to it whispered nightly, Being so fair, why art thou, love, so far? Or why so coldly shine, who shinest so brightly? O Beauty wooed and unpossest! O, might I to this beating breast But clasp thee once, and then die blest!" So wildly warm, made human; And leaving, for his sake, her heaven above, "Thou who hast wooed and hast possest, 66 A light that drew my spirit to it." And to the man the woman sighed, "I miss from earth a poet." OWEN MEREDITH (LORD LYTTON). + POEMS OF HOME. MARRIAGE. hearts that love hath crowned or crossed Love fondly knits together; But not a thought or hue is lost It is an ill-told tale that tells Of "hearts by love made one": He grows who near another's dwells More conscious of his own; In each spring up new thoughts and powers Such fictions blink love's better part, The wells are in the neighbor heart, And I hae sworn by my God, my Jeanie, Then foul fa' the hands that wad loose sic bands, But the finger o' Him abuve. I wad lap me up rich i' the faulds o' luve, - Her white arm wad be a pillow for me, Fu' safter than the down; MINE eyes he closed, but open left the cell Of fancy, my internal sight, by which And her lips like lusmore blossoms which the Abstract, as in a trance, methought I saw, fairies intertwine, And her heart a golden mine. She was gentler and shyer Than the light fawn which stood by her, And her eyes emit a fire Though sleeping, where I lay, and saw the shape And life-blood streaming fresh; wide was the wound, |