The Bride of a Year

The Bride of a Year

Original Text
The Poetical Works of Mrs. Leprohon (Miss R. E. Mullins) [comp. John Reade] (Montreal: John Lovell, 1881): 186-87. PS 8423 .E6A17 1881
1She stands in front of her mirror
2    With bright and joyous air,
3Smoothes out with a skilful hand
4    Her waves of golden hair;
5But the tell-tale roses on her cheek,
6    So changing yet so bright,
7And downcast, earnest eye betray
8    New thoughts are hers to-night.
9Then say what is the fairy spell
10    Around her beauty thrown,
11Lending a new and softer charm
12    To every look and tone?
13It is the hidden consciousness --
14    The blissful, joyous thought
15That she, at length, hath wholly won
16    The heart she long had sought.
17To-morrow is her bridal day,
18    That day of hopes and fears,
19Of partings from beloved friends,
20    Of sunshine and of tears:
22    Those words whose import deep
23Will fix her future lot in life --
24    Well might she pause and weep!
25Yet, only once, a passing cloud
26    Rests on her girlish brow,
27Her dark eye gleameth restlessly --
28    She's thinking of her vow.
29But quick as light and fleecy clouds
30    Flit o'er a summer sky,
31The shadow passeth from her brow,
32    The trouble from her eye.
33In silvery tones she murmurs forth,
34    My heart is light and glad,
35Youth, beauty, hope, are all mine own,
36    Then, why should I be sad?
37To graver hearts leave graver thoughts
38    And all foreboding fears,
39For me, life's sunshine and its flowers, --
40    I am too young for tears!

Notes

21] say: reads says in original Back to Line
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
RPO 1999.
Rhyme