Poems (Taylor)/The Vanity of Vows
THE VANITY OF VOWS
A soul of many longings entered late
A chapel like a jewel blazing bright,
And fell upon the altar-steps. All night
She held with hopes and agonies debate;
With tears the litanies love-passionate
Drenched her; triumphant colours burned her white;
And, as the incense flamed in silver light,
God sealed her to His own novitiate.
A chapel like a jewel blazing bright,
And fell upon the altar-steps. All night
She held with hopes and agonies debate;
With tears the litanies love-passionate
Drenched her; triumphant colours burned her white;
And, as the incense flamed in silver light,
God sealed her to His own novitiate.
And then, because her eyes were charmed with peace,
And blinded by the stars new-born within
The lit sweet lids God's dreams had loverèd,—
Nine paces from that House of Ecstasies
Her feet were taken in the snares of sin;
And, ere the morning quickened, she was dead.
And blinded by the stars new-born within
The lit sweet lids God's dreams had loverèd,—
Nine paces from that House of Ecstasies
Her feet were taken in the snares of sin;
And, ere the morning quickened, she was dead.