Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MAGDALENA, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MAGDALENA, by                    
First Line: Magdalena's robes are trailing through the highway's soiling
Last Line: Faithful to the hand that saved her and his love-light in her eyes
Subject(s): Love;mary Magdalen;women - Bible; Mary Magdalene


MAGDALENA'S robes are trailing through the highway's soiling dust,
Spotless hem and seam are glazing over with apparent rust;
Hooded cloak conceals the contour of her drooping head and face,
Hiding outline and proportion of her form whose step is grace.
Small her feet and arched her instep gliding onward travelstained --
Feet whose wealth and pride of birthright have the common earth disdained.
Who can prove that Magdalena walks alone in strange disguise?
Who unclasp the hooded mantle hiding face and veiling eyes?

Magdalena lives in grandeur, and the nobles round her wait,
And her chariot on the highway bears armorial gauds of state;
Fair and proud is Magdalena, pride of birth and pride of scorn;
Fairer, earth ne'er gave existence since the day that Eve was born.
Form as stately, mould as perfect, eyes of blue and forehead fair,
Crowned with woman's crown of glory -- wondrous waves of golden hair.

Magdalena loves in secret, loves the lowliest fisher's son; --
She can never wed the Gentile who her faith and soul has won;
He is brave and tall and graceful, fair as any son of earth,
But his grace is all of nature, not from gentle blood and birth.
Yesterday the highest ruler in the land of Judah came,
Kneeling at her feet in splendor, offering her his hand and name;
But he tarried not till evening, whispering love vows 'neath the moon,
Rode away in crimson anger, anger o'er his slighted boon.

Magdalena, pale with passion, struggling in her bonds of love,
Envying every meaner thing from mated man to mated dove,
Spurns the laws of men and birthright, spurns the laws of maiden shame,
Scorns the ruler and his greatness, scorns alike her wealth and fame;
Heeding but the charm which draws her towards the fisher's manly grace,
Parting with the hopes of woman for his ardent love embrace.

Magdalena's cheeks are glowing with her lover's kisses warm,
And his manly arms close folding round her lithe and yielding form;
Nature owns no paltry barrier, love has conquered pride of birth,
And their wedded souls in spirit know no other bonds on earth.
Wrapt in bliss of love's elysium, answering pulse and beating heart, --
Fame and name and life forgotten, e'en the law that bids them part.

Magdalena's fame is sullied, like her robes with highway dust;
Scribes and Pharisees proclaim her sin and shame before the just;
Fair and high-born Magdalena, drooping form and head low-bowed,
Guilty captive at the mercy of a coarse, vindictive crowd
Clamoring for the law of Moses, so to stone her till she dies,
Waiting judgment from the Master, life or death as he replies.
Spies have proved that Magdalena walks alone in strange disguise,
Torn away the hooded mantle hiding face and veiling eyes.

Magdalena scorned the ruler; he it was who hired the spies,
Into all her secrets prying, forcing off her strange disguise,
Tearing from the fond embraces of her lover's folding arms,
Forcing her from love's protection, rudely railing at her charms,
Bringing her within the temple with her head and bosom bare,
No disguise to hide her blushes, save her veil of golden hair.

Magdalena stands in terror, with her small hands tightly pressed,
Hiding with those waves of glory half the beauty of her breast;
Torn her robes and lost her sandals, vain she hides her gleaming feet,
Guilt ne'er brought so fair a captive pleading at a mercy'seat;
He who never knew the passion of the sinner's throbbing soul,
Bows his spotless head in pity as her tears of anguish roll.

Magdalena's eyes are heavy with their penitential tears,
As she gazes on the Master and his words of mercy hears;
See the hideous crowd before her, dropping each his vengeful stone,
Gliding out with guilty faces, leaving her with him alone.
Jesus, when the last had left her, gazed in pity on her face,
Gave assurance of his pardon by his looks and words of grace,
Gave his strength to Magdalena, strength to walk without disguise;
His large soul of purest love-light dried her penitential eyes.

Magdalena's robes are floating in the pathway of the just,
Spotless seam and hem protected from the earth's corrosive rust;
Pride of wealth and pride of nature made subservient to the good,
Thousands bless the unknown giver for the boon of daily food;
And the manly fisher, leaving tent, and net, and fisher's rod,
Follows as a meek disciple worshipping the Son of God;
In his strength walks Magdalena evermore without disguise,
Faithful to the hand that saved her and his love-light in her eyes.





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