Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE MAIDEN'S PRAYER, by NATHANIEL PARKER WILLIS Poet's Biography First Line: She rose from her delicious [or, untroubled] sleep Last Line: Will our wild errors be forgiven! Variant Title(s): Chamber Scene' Subject(s): Prayer | ||||||||
SHE rose from her untroubled sleep, And put away her soft brown hair, And, in a tone as low and deep As love's first whisper, breathed a prayer -- Her snow-white hands together press'd, Her blue eyes shelter'd in the lid, The folded linen on her breast Just swelling with the charms it hid; And from her long and flowing dress Escaped a bare and slender foot, Whose shape upon the earth did press Like a new snow-flake, white and "mute;" And there, from slumber pure and warm, Like a young spirit fresh from heaven, She bow'd her slight and graceful form, And humbly pray'd to be forgiven. Oh God! if souls unsoil'd as these Need daily mercy from thy throne -- If she upon her bended knees -- Our loveliest and our purest one -- She, with a face so clear and bright We deem her some stray child of light -- If she, with those soft eyes in tears, Day after day in her first years, Must kneel and pray for grace from thee -- What far, far deeper need have we? How hardly, if she win not heaven, Will our wild errors be forgiven! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...UNHOLY SONNET 11 by MARK JARMAN LISTEN, LORD: A PRAYER by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON A PRAYER FOR THE FUTURE by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) DIFFERENT WAYS TO PRAY by NAOMI SHIHAB NYE PRAYER DURING A TIME MY SON IS HAVING SEIZURES by SHARON OLDS WE WHO PRAYED AND WEPT by WENDELL BERRY PRAYERS AND SAYINGS OF THE MAD FARMER by WENDELL BERRY ANDRE'S LAST REQUEST [OR, REQUEST TO WASHINGTON] [OCTOBER 1, 1780] by NATHANIEL PARKER WILLIS |
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