Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE MARRIAGE OF EARTH AND HEAVEN, by RHYS CARPENTER


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE MARRIAGE OF EARTH AND HEAVEN, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Hera, tall and fair and young, / walked on ida's hill
Last Line: Sung their silver marriage song.
Subject(s): Birds; Cuckoos; Greece; Marriage; Mythology; Spring; Storms; Greeks; Weddings; Husbands; Wives


HERA, tall and fair and young,
Walked on Ida's hill
While the birds around her sung
And the winds were still.
And a lusty cuckoo cried,
'Spring is come anew,
Heaven takes the earth to bride;
Cuckoo! cuckoo!'

Hera sighed, 'O wintry plain,
Barren earth and lean!
Cuckoo, sing that song again
Till the fields are green.'
Cried the cuckoo from the copse,
'Rain! rain! rain!
Storm upon the mountain tops!
Wind across the plain!
Cloud and water, near and wide!
Spring is come anew,
Heaven takes the earth to bride;
Cuckoo! cuckoo!'

Sprang a cloud from Ida's snow,
Crept a mist from out the sea,
Came a rushing wind to blow
Wild and free,
Shook the barren leafless copse;
Sudden fell the rain:
Lightning on the mountain tops!
Thunder o'er the plain!

'Wind and water! woe is me!'
Cried the maiden grieving drear,
'Wet must gown and body be,
For the sky is fallen sheer!'
With her cloak she hid her face,
Cowered from the storm.
Ah, the sweet, the maiden grace,
And the young, the virgin form!

Crept the cuckoo through the weather
Rain-bedraggled and forlorn,
Shivering in every feather,
Sight for pity and for scorn.
Came and perched on Hera's knee,
Shook with misery and cold.
'Ah, poor bird; my cloak for thee!
Creep and sleep within its fold.'

She raised her cloak: the cuckoo crept
Grateful to her body warm—
Suddenly the lightning leapt
Wild, triumphant, through the storm.
For no bird, no bird of earth
But a clinging naked god
Clasped her in his passion's girth,
Such as once Olympus trod;
Kissed her maiden eyes to fire,
Burned and clung upon her mouth,
Fanned her terror and desire
Like a whirlwind of the South.
And a voice cried, 'Fear not me;
I am god of storm and height,
All my magic worships thee,
Fashioned for a god's delight.
Thou art Hera, heaven's bride,
Woo'd as only Zeus can woo:—
Cloud and water, near and wide,
Spring is come anew.
Weep not for thy maiden eyes,
Pine not for thy virgin form,
Thou art mistress of the skies,
Wedded to the thunderstorm!

And the sudden rain was still
Lo, a miracle was there,
Glistening over plain and hill,
Wonderful and fair.
Green was every tree, and green
All the springing plain,
Leaf and flower, all unseen
Risen in the rain.
In the leafy copse there stirred
Bright with beaded dew
Glad of wing a singing bird,—
'Cuckoo' still, 'cuckoo!'
While a lover bore along
In his arms, divine and strong,
Hera, sacred bride of heaven,
And the spheres, the holy seven,
Sung their silver marriage song.





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