Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, AT A COUNTRY WEDDING, by LEWIS MORRIS (1833-1907)


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

AT A COUNTRY WEDDING, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Bring roses, youths, red roses, with full hands
Last Line: Bring lilies, maidens, snow-white, delicate.
Subject(s): Marriage; Weddings; Husbands; Wives


BRING roses, youths, red roses, with full hands;
Bring lilies, maidens, snow-white, delicate;
See at life's threshold full-lipped Eros stands,
And white Loves hover round the flower-hung gate:
Bring smiles and jocund strains,
Laughter and jovial mirth;
For still the young God reigns
O'er all the earth.

Sing carols, maidens, carols to his name:
Sound, striplings, sound for joy a lusty note;
Acclaim him, pipe and flute, as when he came
To Hellas or old Nile in years remote;
Raise gleeful hymns and high
To the blue vault above;
He lives, he cannot die,
Immortal Love!

Forget ye, as the wise earth doth forget,
Calm in divine oblivion of the years,
The slow-paced ages and their load, the fret
Of hopes illusive, and distracting fears;
The cares, the toils, the strife,
Wherethrough man's labouring feet
Have trod the round of life;
Yet found it sweet.

For fair as once was Hellas, fair and young
Our June-lit England shows, and lovelier still
Than clear Cephissus' waters ofttimes sung,
Cool Isis doth her lilied fountains fill.
Young is the earth, Youth knows not change,
And Love renews himself -- the same
As in dim years and regions strange
His altar-flame.

Thro' golden buttercups and crested grass,
To the lone, ivied church beneath the yew,
Gaily, oh white procession, gaily pass!
'Tis the old worship, tho' the rite be new.
Thro' youth's full veins to-day
The same quick pulses move;
Still Hymen beareth sway
And crowneth Love.

Forget the tired earth's plenitude of years,
Forget Time's weird AEolian music sad;
Touch not a chord, think not a thought, but cheers
Lift high, lift only merry strains and glad.
A little, little while we are,
Sing youths and maids with joyous voice!
Forget long hopes and issues far;
To-day rejoice!

Bring roses, youths, red roses, with full hands;
Bring lilies, maidens, snow-white, delicate.





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