Marriage

Mathilde Blind 1841 (Mannheim) – 1896 (London)



LOVE springs as lightly from the human heart
As springs the lovely rose upon the brier,
Which turns the common hedge to floral fire,
As Love wings Time with rosy-feathered dart.
But marriage is the subtlest work of art
Of all the arts which lift the spirit higher;
The incarnation of the heart's desire--
Which masters Time--set on Man's will apart.

The Many try, but oh! how few are they
To whom that finest of the arts is given
Which shall teach Love, the rosy runaway,
To bide from bridal Morn to brooding Even.
Yet this--this only--is the narrow way
By which, while yet on earth, we enter heaven.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 22, 2023

33 sec read
139

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBAABBA CDCXCD
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 608
Words 111
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 8, 6

Mathilde Blind

Mathilde Blind, was a German-born British poet. Her work was praised by Matthew Arnold and French politician and historian Louis Blanc. more…

All Mathilde Blind poems | Mathilde Blind Books

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1 Comment
  • John Pendrey
    John Pendrey
    Please can anyone explain the last two lines of first verse?
    LikeReply8 years ago

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"Marriage" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/27021/marriage>.

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