SAID
THE THISTLE-DOWN.
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“If
thou wilt hold my silver hair,
O Lady sweet and bright;
I’ll bring thee, maiden darling, where
Thy lover is to-night.
Lay down thy robe of cloth of gold—
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Gold
weigheth heavily,
Thy necklace wound in jewell’d fold,
And hie thee forth with
me.”
“O Thistle-down, dear Thistle-down,
I’ve laid my robe
aside;
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My
necklace and my jewell’d crown,
And yet I cannot glide
Along the silver crests of night
With thee, light thing,
with thee.
Fain would I try the airy flight,
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What
sayest thou to me?” [Page 112]
“If thou wilt hold my silver hair,
O maiden fair and proud;
We’ll float upon the purple air
High as yon lilied cloud.
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There
is a jewel weighs thy heart;
If thou with me wouldst
glide
That cold, cold jewel place apart—
The jewel of thy pride!”
“O Thistle-down, dear Thistle-down—
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That
jewel part I’ve set:
With golden robe and shining crown
And cannot follow yet!
Fain would I clasp thy silver tress
And float on high with thee;
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30 |
Yet
somewhat me to earth doth press—
What sayest thou to me?
“If thou wilt hold my silver hair
O lady, sweet and chaste;
Well dance upon the sparkling air
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And
to thy lover haste.
A lily lies upon thy breast
Snow-white as it can be—
It holds thee strong—sweet, with the rest
Yield lilied chastity.”
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“O Thistle-down, false Thistle-down
I’ve parted Pride
and Gold;
Laid past my jewels and my crown—
My golden robings’
fold. [Page 113]
I will not lay my lily past—
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Love’s light as vanity
When to the mocking wind is cast
The lily, Chastity.”
[Page 114]
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