Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE LADY OF THE CASTLE, by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Thou see'st her pictured with her shining hair Last Line: How didst thou fall, o bright-haired ermengarde! Alternate Author Name(s): Browne, Felicia Dorothea Subject(s): Women | ||||||||
THOU seest her pictured with her shining hair, (Famed were those tresses in Provencal song,) Half braided, half o'er cheek and bosom fair Let loose, and pouring sunny waves along Her gorgeous vest. A child's light hand is roving Midst the rich curls; and, oh! how meekly loving Its earnest looks are lifted to the face Which bends to meet its lip in laughing grace! Yet that bright lady's eye, methinks, hath less Of deep, and still, and pensive tenderness, Than might beseem a mother's; on her brow Something too much there sits of native scorn, And her smile kindles with a conscious glow, As from the thought of sovereign beauty born. These may be dreams -- but how shall woman tell Of woman's shame, and not with tears? She fell! That mother left that child! -- went hurrying by Its cradle -- haply not without a sigh, Haply one moment o'er its rest serene She hung. But no! it could not thus have been, For she went on! -- forsook her home, her hearth, All pure affection, all sweet household mirth, To live a gaudy and dishonored thing, Sharing in guilt the splendors of a king. Her lord, in very weariness of life, Girt on his sword for scenes of distant strife. He recked no more of glory: grief and shame Crushed out his fiery nature, and his name Died silently. A shadow o'er his halls Crept year by year: the minstrel passed their walls; The warder's horn hung mute. Meantime the child On whose first flowering thoughts no parent smiled, A gentle girl, and yet deep-hearted, grew Into sad youth; for well, too well, she knew Her mother's tale! Its memory made the sky Seem all too joyous for her shrinking eye; Checked on her lip the flow of song, which fain Would there have lingered; flushed her cheek to pain, If met by sudden glance; and gave a tone Of sorrow, as for something lovely gone, E'en to the spring's glad voice. Her own was low And plaintive. Oh! there lie such depths of woe In a young blighted spirit! Manhood rears A haughty brow, and age has done with tears; But youth bows down to misery, in amaze At the dark cloud o'ermantling its fresh days; -- And thus it was with her. A mournful sight In one so fair -- for she indeed was fair; Not with her mother's dazzling eyes of light -- Hers were more shadowy, full of thought and prayer, And with long lashes o'er a white-rose cheek Drooping in gloom, yet tender still and meek, Still that fond child's -- and oh! the brow above So pale and pure! so formed for holy love To gaze upon in silence! -- But she felt That love was not for her, though hearts would melt Where'er she moved, and reverence mutely given Went with her; and low prayers, that called on heaven To bless the young Isaure. One sunny morn With alms before her castle gate she stood, Midst peasant groups: when, breathless and o'erworn, And shrouded in long weeds of widowhood, A stranger through them broke. The orphan maid With her sweet voice and proffered hand of aid, Turned to give welcome; but a wild sad look Met hers -- a gaze that all her spirit shook; And that pale woman, suddenly subdued By some strong passion, in its gushing mood, Knelt at her feet, and bathed them with such tears As rain the hoarded agonies of years From the heart's urn; and with her white lips pressed The ground they trod; then, burying in her vest Her brow's deep flush, sobbed out -- "Oh undefiled! I am thy mother -- spurn me not, my child!" Isaure had prayed for that lost mother; wept O'er her stained memory, while the happy slept In the hushed midnight; stood with mournful gaze Before yon picture's smile of other days, But never breathed in human ear the name Which weighed her being to the earth with shame. What marvel if the anguish, the surprise, The dark remembrances, the altered guise, Awhile o'erpowered her? From the weeper's touch She shrank -- 'twas but a moment -- yet too much For that all-humbled one; its mortal stroke Came down like lightning, and her full heart broke At once in silence. Heavily and prone She sank, while o'er her castle's threshold stone, Those long fair tresses -- they still brightly wore Their early pride, though bound with pearls no more -- Bursting their fillet, in sad beauty rolled, And swept the dust with coils of wavy gold. Her child bent o'er her -- called her: 'twas too late Dead lay the wanderer at her own proud gate! The joy of courts, the star of knight and bard -- How didst thou fall, O bright-haired Ermengarde! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ARISTOTLE TO PHYLLIS by JOHN HOLLANDER A WOMAN'S DELUSION by SUSAN HOWE JULIA TUTWILER STATE PRISON FOR WOMEN by ANDREW HUDGINS THE WOMEN ON CYTHAERON by ROBINSON JEFFERS TOMORROW by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD LADIES FOR DINNER, SAIPAN by KENNETH KOCH GOODBYE TO TOLERANCE by DENISE LEVERTOV A DIRGE (1) by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS |
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