Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
Alfred Tennyson, Lord Tennyson. 18091892703. St. Agnes’ Eve
DEEP on the convent-roof the snows | |
Are sparkling to the moon: | |
My breath to heaven like vapour goes: | |
May my soul follow soon! | |
The shadows of the convent-towers | 5 |
Slant down the snowy sward, | |
Still creeping with the creeping hours | |
That lead me to my Lord: | |
Make Thou my spirit pure and clear | |
As are the frosty skies, | 10 |
Or this first snowdrop of the year | |
That in my bosom lies. | |
As these white robes are soil’d and dark, | |
To yonder shining ground; | |
As this pale taper’s earthly spark, | 15 |
To yonder argent round; | |
So shows my soul before the Lamb, | |
My spirit before Thee; | |
So in mine earthly house I am, | |
To that I hope to be. | 20 |
Break up the heavens, O Lord! and far, | |
Thro’ all yon starlight keen, | |
Draw me, thy bride, a glittering star, | |
In raiment white and clean. | |
He lifts me to the golden doors; | 25 |
The flashes come and go; | |
All heaven bursts her starry floors, | |
And strows her lights below, | |
And deepens on and up! the gates | |
Roll back, and far within | 30 |
For me the Heavenly Bridegroom waits, | |
To make me pure of sin. | |
The sabbaths of Eternity, | |
One sabbath deep and wide— | |
A light upon the shining sea— | 35 |
The Bridegroom with his bride! |