Classic and Contemporary Poetry
BREAKING THE ROADS, by PHOEBE CARY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: About the cottage, cold and white Last Line: And led her home a bride! Subject(s): Courtship; Weddings | ||||||||
ABOUT the cottage, cold and white, The snow-drifts heap the ground; Through its curtains closely drawn to-night There scarcely steals a sound. The task is done that patient hands Through all the day have plied; And the flax-wheel, with its loosened bands, Is idly set aside. Above the hearth-fire's pleasant glare, Sings now the streaming spout; The housewife, at her evening care, Is passing in and out. And still as here and there she flits, With cheerful, bustling sound, Musing, her daughter silent sits, With eyes upon the ground. A maiden, womanly and true, Sweet as the mountain-rose; No fairer form than hers ere grew Amid the winter snows. A rosy mouth, and o'er her brow Brown, smoothly-braided hair, Surely the youth beside her now Must covet flower so fair. For bashfulness she dare not meet His eyes that keep their place, So steadfastly and long in sweet Perusal of her face. Herself is Lucy's only charm, To make her prized or sought; And Ralph hath but the goodly farm Whereon his fathers wrought. He, with his neighbors, toiling slow To-day till sunset's gleam, Breaking a road-track through the snow, Has urged his patient team. They came at morn from every home, They have labored cheerily; They have cut a way through the snowy foam, As a good ship cuts the sea. And when his tired friends were gone, Their pleasant labors o'er, Ralph stayed to make a path, alone, To Lucy's cottage-door. The thankful dame her friend must press To share her hearth's warm blaze: What could the daughter give him less Than words of grateful praise? And now the board has given its cheer, The eve has nearly gone, Yet by the hearth-fire bright and clear The youth still lingers on. The mother rouses from her nap, Her task awhile she keeps; At last, with knitting on her lap, Tired nature calmly sleeps. Then Lucy, bringing from the shelf Apples that mock her cheeks, Falls working busily herself, And half in whisper speaks. And Ralph, for very bashfulness, Is held a moment mute; Then drawing near, he takes in his The hand that pares the fruit. Then Lucy strives to draw away Her hand, yet kindly too, And half in his she lets it stay, -- She knows not what to do. "Darling," he cries, with flushing cheek, "Forego awhile your task; Lift up your downcast eyes and speak, 'T is but a word I ask!" He sees the color rise and wane Upon the maiden's face; Then with a kiss he sets again The red rose in its place. The mother wakes in strange surprise, And wondering looks about, -- "How careless, Lucy dear," she cries; "You've let the fire go out!" Then Lucy turned her face away, She did not even speak; But she looked as if the live coals lay A-burning in her cheek. "Ralph," said the dame, "you ne'er before Played such a double part: Have you made the way both to my door And to my daughter's heart?" "I've tried my best," cried happy Ralph, "And if she'll be my wife, I'll make a pathway smooth and safe For my darling all her life!" All winter from his home to that Where Lucy lived content, Along a path made hard and straight, Her lover came and went. And when spring smiled in all her bowers, And birds sang far and wide, He trod a pathway through the flowers, And led her home a bride! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A BLESSING FOR A WEDDING by JANE HIRSHFIELD A SUITE FOR MARRIAGE by DAVID IGNATOW ADVICE TO HER SON ON MARRIAGE by MARY BARBER THE RABBI'S SON-IN-LAW by SABINE BARING-GOULD KISSING AGAIN by DORIANNE LAUX A TIME PAST by DENISE LEVERTOV A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND by PHOEBE CARY |
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