Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE BRIDAL OF MALAHIDE, by GERALD JOSEPH GRIFFIN Poem Explanation Poet's Biography First Line: The joy-bells are ringing Last Line: We live but to die!' Subject(s): Marriage; Weddings; Husbands; Wives | ||||||||
THE joy-bells are ringing In gay Malahide, The fresh wind is singing Along the sea-side; The maids are assembling With garlands of flowers, And the harpstrings are trembling In all the glad bowers. Swell, swell the gay measure! Roll trumpet and drum! 'Mid greetings of pleasure In splendour they come! The chancel is ready, The portal stands wide For the lord and the lady, The bridegroom and bride. What years, ere the latter Of earthly delight, The future shall scatter O'er them in its flight! What blissful caresses Shall fortune bestow, Ere those dark-flowing tresses Fall white as the snow! Before the high altar Young Maud stands array'd, With accents that falter Her promise is made -- From father and mother For ever to part, For him and no other To treasure her heart. The words are repeated, The bridal is done, The rite is completed -- The two, they are one; The vow, it is spoken All pure from the heart, That must not be broken Till life shall depart. Hark! 'mid the gay clangour That compass'd their car, Loud accents in anger Come mingling afar! The foe's on the border, His weapons resound Where the lines in disorder Unguarded are found. As awakes the good shepherd The watchful and bold, When the ounce or the leopard Is seen in the fold, So rises already The chief in his mail, While the new-married lady Looks fainting and pale. 'Son, husband, and brother, Arise to the strife, For the sister and mother, For children and wife! O'er hill and o'er hollow, O'er mountain and plain, Up, true men, and follow! Let dastards remain!' Farrah! to the battle! They form into line -- The shields, how they rattle! The spears, how they shine! Soon, soon, shall the foeman His treachery rue -- On, burgher and yeoman, To die or to do! The eve is declining In lone Malahide, The maidens are twining Gay wreaths for the bride! She marks them unheeding -- Her heart is afar, Where the clansmen are bleeding For her in the war. Hark! loud from the mountain 'Tis Victory's cry! O'er woodland and fountain It rings to the sky! The foe has retreated! He flies to the shore; The spoiler's defeated -- The combat is o'er! With foreheads unruffled The conquerors come -- But why have they muffled The lance and the drum? What form do they carry Aloft on his shield? And where does he tarry, The lord of the field? Ye saw him at morning, How gallant and gay! In bridal adorning, The star of the day: Now weep for the lover -- His triumph is sped, His hope it is over! The chieftain is dead! But oh, for the maiden Who mourns for that chief, With heart overladen And rending with grief! She sinks on the meadow In one morning-tide, A wife and a widow, A maid and a bride! Ye maidens attending, Forbear to condole! Your comfort is rending The depths of her soul. True -- true, 'twas a story For ages of pride; He died in his glory -- But oh, he has died! The war-cloak she raises All mournfully now, And steadfastly gazes Upon the cold brow. That glance may for ever Unalter'd remain, But the bridegroom will never Return it again. The dead-bells are tolling In sad Malahide, The death-wail is rolling Along the sea-side; The crowds, heavy-hearted, Withdraw from the green, For the sun has departed That brighten'd the scene! Even yet in that valley, Though years have roll'd by, When through the wild sally The sea-breezes sigh, The peasant, with sorrow, Beholds in the shade The tomb where the morrow Saw Hussey convey'd. How scant was the warning, How briefly reveal'd, Before on that morning Death's chalice was fill'd! The hero who drunk it There moulders in gloom, And the form of Maud Plunket Weeps over his tomb. The stranger who wanders Along the lone vale Still sighs while he ponders On that heavy tale: 'Thus passes each pleasure That earth can supply -- Thus joy has its measure -- We live but to die!' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A BLESSING FOR A WEDDING by JANE HIRSHFIELD A SUITE FOR MARRIAGE by DAVID IGNATOW ADVICE TO HER SON ON MARRIAGE by MARY BARBER THE RABBI'S SON-IN-LAW by SABINE BARING-GOULD KISSING AGAIN by DORIANNE LAUX A TIME PAST by DENISE LEVERTOV EILEEN AROON by GERALD JOSEPH GRIFFIN ADARE by GERALD JOSEPH GRIFFIN GILLE MACHREE (BRIGHTENER OF MY HEART) by GERALD JOSEPH GRIFFIN |
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