The record-union., 1893-10-14
THE BLESSED DAMoZEL.
DANTE GABRIEL RosETTI's MOST CELEBRATE
POEM.

The blessed Damozel leaned out
From the golden bar of heaven;
Her eyes knew more OF rest and shade
Than waters Stilled at even.
She had three lilies in her hand
And the stars in her hair were seven.
Her robe, ungirt from clasp to hem,
No wrought flowers did adorn,
But white rose, of Mary's gift,
For her service meekly worn;
And her hair lying down her back,
Was yellow like ripe corn.
1t seemed she scarce had been day
One of GODS choristers;
The wonder was not quite yet gone
From that still look of hers.
Albeit TO them she left, her day
Had counted as ten years.
CTo one it is ten of years,
Yet now and in this place,
Surely she leaned DER me-her hair
Fell ali about my face.
Nothing; the autumn fall of leaves
The whole year sets apace.)
1t was the rampant of Gods house
That she was standing on;
By God built over the sheer depth,
The which is space begun,
So high that looking downward thence
She scarce could see the sun.
1t lies in heaven, across the flood
OF ether as q bridge;
Beneath, the tides of day and night
With flame and blackness ridge
The void, as low as where the earth
Spins like tretted midge.
She scarcely heard her sweet new friends
Playing at holy games;
Softly they spake among themselves
Their virginia., chaste names.
And the souls mounting up to God
Went by her like thin flames.
And still she bowed above the vast
Waste sea of worlds that swarm,
Until her bosom must have made
The bar she leaned on warm,
And the lilies lay as ii asleep
Along her bended arm.
From the fixed place of heaven she saw
Time, like a pulse, shake fierce
Through all the worlds; her gaze still Strovc
Within the gulf 10 pierce
Its path; and now she spoke, as when
The stars sung in their spheres.
The sun was gone now; the curled moon
Was like little feather,
Fluttering far down the gulf, and now
She spoke through the still weather;
Her voice was like the voice the stars
Had when they sung together.
''I wish that he were come to me,
For he will come" she said;
"Have not prayed in heaven? On earth,
LORD, LOfQ, mas ne not prayed?
Are not two prayers perfect strength,
And shall feel afraid?
"When round his head the aureole clings,
And he is clothed in white,
Ill take his hand and go with him
TO the deep wells OF light,
And Well step down as to stream,
And battle there, in'God's light.
'We two will stand beside that shrine,
Occult, withheld, untrod,
Whose lamps are sJirred continually
With prayers sent up to God,
And see our old prayers, granted, melt
Each like a little cloud.
"We two win lie in the shadow of
That living mystic tree
Within whose secret growth the dove
Is sometimes felt 10 be,
While every leaf that his plumes touch
Saith his name audibly.
'tAnd l myself will teach to him
myself lying So
The songs / sing here, which his voice
Shall pause in, hushed and SLOW,
And find some knowledge at each pause,
Or some new thing to know
(Ah, sweetl Just now in that birds song,
Strove not her accents there
Fain to be hearkened? When those bells
Possessed the midday air,
Was she not stepping to my side.
Down all the trembling stairs?)
" We two. she said, will seek the groves
Where the Lady Mary is,
With her five handma1dens. whose names
Are five sweet symphonies
Cicily, Gertrude, Magdalen,
Margaret and RoSalys.
"Circlewise sit they, with bound locks,
And foreheads garlanded.
Into the fine cloth, white like flame,
Weaving the golden thread
To fashion the birth-robeS for them
Who are just born, being dead.
she shall fear, haply. and be dumb,
Then will | lay my cheek
To his and tell about our love.
Not once abashed or weak;
And the dear mother will approve
My pride, and let me speak.
"Rerself shall bring us, hand in hand,
To Him round whom all souls
KneeI the unnumbered ranSomed heads
Bowed with their aureoles,
And the angels meeting us shall sing
To their citherns and citoles.
sThen will ask of Christ, the Lord,
Thus much for him and me:
Only to live as once on earth,
AT peace: only TO be
AS then awhile, forever now,
Together, and he."
She gazed and listened, and then said:
Less sad of speech than mild;
''All this is when he comes" She ceased.
The light thrilled passed her, filled
With angels in strong level lapse,
Her eyes prayed, and she smiled.
q saw her smile.) But soon their flight
Was vague, in distant spheres.
And then she laid her arms along
The golden barriers.
And laid her head between her hands
And Wept. q saw her tears.)