Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SABINA, by ARTHUR THOMAS QUILLER-COUCH


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SABINA, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: The stair was steep; the tower was tall
Last Line: And let her boy run on.
Alternate Author Name(s): Q; Quiller-couch, A. T.
Subject(s): Mothers & Sons; Widows & Widowers


THE stair was steep; the Tower was tall;
Sabina's strength was gone:
She leaned a hand against the wall,
And let her boy run on.

High in the blue the Old Tower swayed
His bells to the sunset breeze:
But ever like hemlock climbed the shade
Of earth on his earth-hewn knees.

The Widow watched the red sun's glow
Steal up by the window's edge;
She saw the darkened green below,
And the wan sheep by the hedge.

'Child! Child!' she called, and 'Wait for me!'
But ever the boy's feet ran;
And up through the Whisp'ring Gallery
Came the voice of her dead man—

'He will not turn for any prayer,
Nor pause for any tear:
The winds of God harp down the stair,
Their pinnacle notes ring clear.'

She said, 'My pulse runs low and low:
He has leapt inside of me.
Blood of my blood, shall he not know
My blood's necessity?'

The dead man said, 'He will not wait.
High in a naked room
A maiden listens, strong as fate,
And selfish as the tomb.

'Her sisters, as they cross the floor,
Throw glances at the clock:
Her father fumbles with the door,
He knows he may not lock:

'Her mother pins the bridal crown,
And pricks her trembling thumbs:
But the bride has laid her mirror down,
Her small foot drums and drums.

'A minute—hark! Ah joy, ah joy!
The helpless door falls wide,
The harp of God and the laugh of a boy
Sing aubade to the bride!

'The bride she rises from her chair—
Now never stretch your hands!
The harp, the voice, the climbing stair—
Naught else she understands.

'Follow the harp, take hands and run!
High on the shining leads,
Or ever a midsummer night's begun
The swallow twitters her orison
By the granite martyrs' heads!'

'Dead man, we too have kissed and climbed.
Inert you moulder there,
And here I fail and flutter, limed
Fast on the middle stair.

'Sure as upon the still-drawn east
The evening arch invades;
Sure as we hold a green earth leased
Briefly between two shades;

'They will not reach—'
'But they will run,
And hand in hand admire
Through loftier panes an ampler sun,
List a diviner choir:

'Farther horizons, widening slopes—
Yet not a blossom there
But gat its increase from the hopes
We two were used to share!

'Woman, consign you with the years;
Consign and follow me.
What though the sun shine on our tears,
If he the rainbow see?'

The stair was steep; the Tower was tall;
Sabina's strength was gone:
She bowed her face unto the wall,
And let her boy run on.





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