Pictures & poems/Mary's Girlhood

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Pictures & poems by Dante Gabriel Rossetti Mary's Girlhood

The Blessed Damozel→

The Girlhood of Mary, Virgin

and

"Ecce Ancilla Domini!"

MARY'S GIRLHOOD I THIS is that blessed Mary, pre-elect  God's Virgin. Gone is a great while, and she  Dwelt young in Nazareth of Galilee. Unto God's will she brought devout respect, Profound simplicity of intellect,  And supreme patience. From her mother's knee  Faithful and hopeful; wise in charity; Strong in grave peace; in pity circumspect. So held she through her girlhood; as it were  An angel-watered lily, that near God  Grows and is quiet. Till, one dawn at home She woke in her white bed, and had no fear  At all,—yet wept till sunshine, and felt awed:  Because the fullness of the time was come. II These are the symbols. On that cloth of red  I' the centre is the Tripoint: perfect each,  Except the second of its points, to teach That Christ is not yet born. The books—whose head Is golden Charity, as Paul hath said—  Those virtues are wherein the soul is rich:  Therefore on them the lily standeth, which Is Innocence, being interpreted. The seven-thorn'd briar and the palm seven-leaved  Are her great sorrow and her great reward.   Until the end be full, the Holy One Abides without. She soon shall have achieved  Her perfect purity: yea, God the Lord   Shall soon vouchsafe His Son to be her Son.

"Ecce Ancilla Domini!"