Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TWO RINGS, by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL Poet's Biography First Line: She stood by the western window Last Line: My tale of life is told. Subject(s): Forget-me-nots | ||||||||
SHE stood by the western window, In the midsummer twilight fair; And the sunset breeze leaped from the trees To lift her heavy hair. Loving and lingering that good-night, Which again and again was said, As ever a fresh excuse was found To 'put off going to bed.' She took a ring from the table, Blue, with a diamond eye; A forget-me-not that would never fade 'Neath any wintry sky. She placed it on her little hand, And danced with sudden glee; 'Look at my ring, my pretty ring! It is mine just now, you see!' She laughed her merry ringing laugh, I answered with a sigh, Strange echo to my darling's mirth, Though scarcely knowing why. Her childish beauty touched my heart, And rose to a vision fair Of far-off days, when another ring That little hand might wear. And mineit might be pulseless then Under the churchyard tree; So I drew her gently to my side, And took her on my knee. 'It shall be yours, my darling,' I said; 'but not to-day; It shall be yours, my darling, When I am gone away.' She glanced up quickly in my face, Not sure that she heard aright; And the shadow that fell in the sweet brown eyes Was sweeter than any light. Then she bent her head and kissed the ring, With a kiss both grave and long; Hardly the kiss of a little child, So fervent and so strong. And hardly the tones of a little child, That spoke so earnestly, 'Yes; I will always wear it, Mine it shall always be. 'But oh!' (and the eyes, love-brightened, Shone with a sudden tear), 'I hope I shall never wear it, Never, oh never, dear!' Five summers smoothly passed away, And the sixth was drawing nigh, While herald glory woke the earth, And filled the dazzling sky. An April morning, radiant With June-like gleam and glow, Arose as fair as if the world No shade of grief could know. A tiny packet came for me, With many a dark-edged fold, And safe within it lay a ring, A little ring of gold. Oh, well I knew its carving quaint Of old ancestral days; Last seen upon a waving hand In slanting autumn rays. O fair young hand, that waved good-bye With passing grace and glee! We knew not that it was farewell, The last farewell for me. The sweet bright spring that touched the earth With all-renewing might, For her eternal beauty brought, Eternal life and light. All through the solemn Passion week She lay so still and sweet, A carven lily, white and pure, For God's own temple meet; Until the day when Jesus died, The Saviour whom she knew, The Shepherd whom she followed home The shadowy portal through. And when the evening gently closed That sad and sacred day, They left the last kiss on her brow, And took the ring away. Two rings are always on my hand, The azure and the gold, And they shall gleam together till My tale of life is told. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FACTORY-GIRL by MAXWELL BODENHEIM RAINBOWS: FORGET-ME-NOTS by OLIVE CUSTANCE A BUNCH OF FORGET-ME-NOTS by THOMAS HOOD ON A FORGET-ME-NOT; BROUGHT FROM SWITZERLAND by FRANCES ANNE KEMBLE TO THE FORGET-ME-NOTS; ON THE PASS OF THE MAIDEN, JAPAN by SILAS WEIR MITCHELL THE FORGET-ME-NOT by MARY RUSSELL MITFORD THE FORGET-ME-NOT by ARTHUR PETERSON COULD I FORGET! by CHARLES V. H. ROBERTS CONSECRATION HYMN by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL I DID THIS FOR THEE! WHAT HAST THOU DONE FOR ME? by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL A BIRTHDAY GREETING TO MY FATHER, 1860 by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL |
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