Lo! the quick months their order'd dance pursue,
And Spring's bright apple-blossoms flush to fruit;
The bay-tree thrives 'neath Heaven's own gracious dew,
And her young shoots the parent-life renew
Around the fostering root.
--The Girl from care in youth's sweet sleep withdrawn
Wakes to a crown at dawn!
But Love is at her side, strong, faithful, wise,
To share the world-wide burden of command,
The sceptre's weight in the unlesson'd hand;
To aid each nursery inmate,--each in turn
Dear pride of watchful eyes,--
To clasp the innocent hands, and learn
The words of love and grace,
Lifting their souls to the compassionate Face:--
While o'er the fortunate fold the Shepherd watch'd unseen;
And home, in all its beauty, bless'd a Queen.
Ah! Happy she, who wedded finds in one
Wisest and dearest! happy, happy years!
But summer whirlwinds wait on summer's sun;
Where the Five Rivers from Himala run,
His snow where Everest rears,
Or Alma's echoing crags with war-cry wake
The wind-vext Euxine lake.
--O Death in myriad forms! O brutal roar
Of battle! throes of race, and crash of thrones!
Imploring hands, and wreck of whitening bones
In Khyber pass;--Or woman's stifled cry,
And that dark pit of gore!
--Yet night had light; for He was by,
Her heart, her strength, her shield,
Twin-star in the Throne's radiance self-conceal'd;
Love's hand laid light on hers, guiding the ship unseen--
For God's best grace in Albert bless'd the Queen.
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