Classic and Contemporary Poetry
LETTICE, by DINAH MARIA MULOCK CRAIK Poet's Biography First Line: I said to lettice, our sister lettice Last Line: "life bears love's cross, death brings love's crown." Alternate Author Name(s): Mulock, Dinah Maria Subject(s): Love | ||||||||
I SAID to Lettice, our sister Lettice, While drooped and glistened her eye-lash brown, "Your man's a poor man, a cold and dour man, There's many a better about our town." She smiled securely -- "He loves me purely: A true heart's safe, both in smile or frown; And nothing harms me while his love warms me, Whether the world go up or down." "He comes of strangers, and they are rangers, And ill to trust, girl, when out of sight: Fremd folk may blame ye, and e'en defame ye, -- A gown oft handled looks seldom white." She raise serenely her eyelids queenly, -- "My innocence is my whitest gown; No harsh tongue grieves me while he believes me, Whether the world go up or down." "Your man's a frail man, was ne'er a hale man, And sickness knocketh at every door, And death comes making bold hearts cower, breaking -- " Our Lettice trembled; -- but once, no more. "If death should enter, smite to the centre Our poor home palace, all crumbling down, He cannot fright us, nor disunite us, Life bears Love's cross, death brings Love's crown." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE INVENTION OF LOVE by MATTHEA HARVEY TWO VIEWS OF BUSON by ROBERT HASS A LOVE FOR FOUR VOICES: HOMAGE TO FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN by ANTHONY HECHT AN OFFERING FOR PATRICIA by ANTHONY HECHT LATE AFTERNOON: THE ONSLAUGHT OF LOVE by ANTHONY HECHT A SWEETENING ALL AROUND ME AS IT FALLS by JANE HIRSHFIELD BY THE ALMA RIVER by DINAH MARIA MULOCK CRAIK DOUGLAS, DOUGLAS, TENDER AND TRUE by DINAH MARIA MULOCK CRAIK |
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