Elizabeth Barrett Browning - The Poet's Vow (Showing How Rosalind Fared By The Keeping Of The Vow) lyrics

In death-sheets lieth Rosalind
 As white and still as they
And the old nurse that watched her bed
 Rose up with "Well-a day!"
And oped the casement to let in
The sun, and that sweet doubtful din
Which droppeth from the grass and bough
Sans wind and bird, none knoweth how
 To cheer her as she lay

To Be Contee

The old nurse started when she saw
 Her sudden look of woe:
But the quick wan tremblings round her mouth
 In a meek smile did go
And calm she said, "When I am dead
 Dear nurse it shall be so

"Till then, shut out those sights and sounds
 And pray God pardon me
That I without this pain no more
 His blessed works can see!
And lean beside me, loving nurse
That thou mayst hear, ere I am worse
 What thy last love should be"

The loving nurse leant over her
 As white she lay beneath
The old eyes searching, dim with life
 The young ones dim with death
To read their look if sound forsook
 The trying, trembling breath

"When all this feeble breath is done
 And I on bier am laid
My tresses smoothed for never a feast
 My body in shroud arrayed
Uplift each palm in a saintly calm
 As if that still I prayed

"And heap beneath mine head the flowers
 You stoop so low to pull
The little white flowers from the wood
 Which grow there in the cool
Which he and I, in childhood's games
Went plucking, knowing not their names
 And filled thine apron full

"Weep not! I weep not death is strong
 The eyes of Death are dry!
But lay this scroll upon my breast
 When hushed it's heavings lie
And wait awhile for the corpse's smile
 Which shineth presently

"And when it shineth, straightway call
 Thy youngest children dear
And bid them gently carry me
 All barefaced on the bier
But bid them pass my kirkyard grass
 That waveth long anear

"And up the bank where I used to sit
 And dream what life would be
Along the brook with it's sunny look
 Akin to living glee
O'er the windy hill, through
The forest still
 Let them gently carry me

"And through the piny forest still
 And down the open moorland
Round where the sea beats mistily
 And blindly on the foreland
And let them chant that hymn I know
Bearing me soft, bearing me slow
 To the ancient hall of Courland

"And when withal they near the hall
 In silence let them lay
My bier before the bolted door
 And leave it for a day:
For I have vowed, though I am proud
To go there as a guest in shroud
 And not be turned away"

The old nurse looked within her eyes
 Whose mutual look was gone
The old nurse stooped upon her mouth
 Whose answering voice was done
And nought she heard, till a little bird
 Upon the casement's woodbine swinging
Broke out into a loud sweet singing
 For joy o' the summer sun:
"Alack! alack!" she watched no more
 With head on knee she wailèd sore
And the little bird sang o'er and o'er
 For joy o' the summer sun