the gates
Roll back, and far within
For me the Heavenly Bridegroom waits, [4]
To make me pure of sin.
Roll back, and far within
For me the Heavenly Bridegroom waits, [4]
To make me pure of sin.
Tennyson
]
[Footnote 3: All editions up to and including 1850. The poor things look
unhappy. ]
ST. AGNES
This exquisite little poem was first published in 1837 in the
'Keepsake', an annual edited by Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley, and was
included in the edition of 1842. No alteration has been made in it since
1842.
In 1857 the title was altered from "St. Agnes" to "St. Agnes' Eve," thus
bringing it near to Keats' poem, which certainly influenced Tennyson in
writing it, as a comparison of the opening of the two poems will show.
The saint from whom the poem takes its name was a young girl of thirteen
who suffered martyrdom in the reign of Diocletian: she is a companion to
Sir Galahad.
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
Slant down the snowy sward,
Still creeping with the creeping hours
That lead me to my Lord:
Make Thou [1] my spirit pure and clear
As are the frosty skies,
Or this first snowdrop of the year
That in [2] my bosom lies.
As these white robes are soiled and dark,
To yonder shining ground;
As this pale taper's earthly spark,
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.
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;
The flashes come and go;
All heaven bursts her starry floors,
And strows [3] her lights below,
And deepens on and up!
the gates
Roll back, and far within
For me the Heavenly Bridegroom waits, [4]
To make me pure of sin. [5]
The sabbaths of Eternity,
One sabbath deep and wide--
A light upon the shining sea--
The Bridegroom [6] with his bride!
[Footnote 1: In 'Keepsake': not capital in Thou. ]
[Footnote 2: In 'Keepsake': On. ]
[Footnote 3: In 'Keepsake': Strews. ]
[Footnote 4: In 'Keepsake': not capitals in Heavenly and Bridegroom. ]
[Footnote 5: In 'Keepsake': To wash me pure from sin. ]
[Footnote 6: In 'Keepsake': capital in Bridegroom. ]
SIR GALAHAD
Published in 1842. No alteration has been made in it since. This poem
may be regarded as a prelude to 'The Holy Grail'. The character of
Galahad is deduced principally from the seventeenth book of the 'Morte
d'Arthur'. In the twenty-second chapter of that book St. Joseph of
Arimathea says to him: "Thou hast resembled me in two things in that
thou hast seen the marvels of the sangreal, and in that thou has been a
clean maiden".
My good blade carves the casques of men,
My tough lance thrusteth sure,
My strength is as the strength of ten,
Because my heart is pure.
The shattering trumpet shrilleth high,
The hard brands shiver on the steel,
The splinter'd spear-shafts crack and fly,
The horse and rider reel:
They reel, they roll in clanging lists,
And when the tide of combat stands,
Perfume and flowers fall in showers,
That lightly rain from ladies' hands.
[Footnote 3: All editions up to and including 1850. The poor things look
unhappy. ]
ST. AGNES
This exquisite little poem was first published in 1837 in the
'Keepsake', an annual edited by Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley, and was
included in the edition of 1842. No alteration has been made in it since
1842.
In 1857 the title was altered from "St. Agnes" to "St. Agnes' Eve," thus
bringing it near to Keats' poem, which certainly influenced Tennyson in
writing it, as a comparison of the opening of the two poems will show.
The saint from whom the poem takes its name was a young girl of thirteen
who suffered martyrdom in the reign of Diocletian: she is a companion to
Sir Galahad.
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
Slant down the snowy sward,
Still creeping with the creeping hours
That lead me to my Lord:
Make Thou [1] my spirit pure and clear
As are the frosty skies,
Or this first snowdrop of the year
That in [2] my bosom lies.
As these white robes are soiled and dark,
To yonder shining ground;
As this pale taper's earthly spark,
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.
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;
The flashes come and go;
All heaven bursts her starry floors,
And strows [3] her lights below,
And deepens on and up!
the gates
Roll back, and far within
For me the Heavenly Bridegroom waits, [4]
To make me pure of sin. [5]
The sabbaths of Eternity,
One sabbath deep and wide--
A light upon the shining sea--
The Bridegroom [6] with his bride!
[Footnote 1: In 'Keepsake': not capital in Thou. ]
[Footnote 2: In 'Keepsake': On. ]
[Footnote 3: In 'Keepsake': Strews. ]
[Footnote 4: In 'Keepsake': not capitals in Heavenly and Bridegroom. ]
[Footnote 5: In 'Keepsake': To wash me pure from sin. ]
[Footnote 6: In 'Keepsake': capital in Bridegroom. ]
SIR GALAHAD
Published in 1842. No alteration has been made in it since. This poem
may be regarded as a prelude to 'The Holy Grail'. The character of
Galahad is deduced principally from the seventeenth book of the 'Morte
d'Arthur'. In the twenty-second chapter of that book St. Joseph of
Arimathea says to him: "Thou hast resembled me in two things in that
thou hast seen the marvels of the sangreal, and in that thou has been a
clean maiden".
My good blade carves the casques of men,
My tough lance thrusteth sure,
My strength is as the strength of ten,
Because my heart is pure.
The shattering trumpet shrilleth high,
The hard brands shiver on the steel,
The splinter'd spear-shafts crack and fly,
The horse and rider reel:
They reel, they roll in clanging lists,
And when the tide of combat stands,
Perfume and flowers fall in showers,
That lightly rain from ladies' hands.
