Monday, October 1, 2012

Two Lovers by George Eliot

{Poem of the Day}

Mary Ann Evans was an important woman writer from the Victorian era. She is mostly known as George Eliot, a male pen name so that her writing would be taken more seriously. Born in Warwickshire, the west midland region of England, this very successful chick of lit wrote poetry, short stories and novels. She was also an assistant editor and translator. Since my last {Poem of the Day} from Eliot was quite serious, here's a poem of hers that celebrates love.

"Starry Night Over the Rhone" by Vincent Van Gogh. Print from $28 on  iCanvas Art

"Two Lovers"
By George Eliot (1819 - 1880)

Two lovers by a moss-grown spring:
They leaned soft cheeks together there,
Mingled the dark and sunny hair,
And heard the wooing thrushes sing.
O budding time!
O love's blest prime!

Two wedded from the portal stept:
The bells made happy carolings,
The air was soft as fanning wings,
White petals on the pathway slept.
O pure-eyed bride!
O tender pride!

Two faces o'er a cradle bent:
Two hands above the head were locked:
These pressed each other while they rocked,
Those watched a life that love had sent.
O solemn hour!
O hidden power!

Two parents by the evening fire:
The red light fell about their knees
On heads that rose by slow degrees
Like buds upon the lily spire.
O patient life!
O tender strife!

The two still sat together there,
The red light shone about their knees;
But all the heads by slow degrees
Had gone and left that lonely pair.
O voyage fast! 
O vanished past!

The red light shone upon the floor
And made the space between them wide;
They drew their chairs up side by side,
Their pale cheeks joined, and said, "Once more!"
O memories!
O past that is!


Learn more about George Eliot here

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