Blessèd (Coates, original handwritten signed poem)
"Blessèd"
Blessèd: so have they named her. With just pride,
Deliberate care, and cautious circumstance,
The Holy Council have beatified
The Maid of Orleans, martyred child of France,
Who at Domrémy's village altar kneeling—
Ignored by friend and foe—
Through all her young unsullied spirit feeling
The tears of a despairing people flow,—
Implored relief; and following the word
Which none save she had heard,
Delivered France, and crowned her—long ago.
Rejoice, Domrémy, 'midst thy bowery green!
She was thine own, whom all, at last, would claim,—
The greatest miracle that Earth hath seen
Since out of Nazareth a Saviour came!
Lowly as thou (though sheathed in armor bright,)
Her soul was as the snow—
Yea, as the lilies of her banner, white!
The Church hath blessed her; but man's heart, less slow,—
Remembering how glorious the price
Of her dear sacrifice,
Gave her the name of blessèd—long ago!
This work is from the United States and in the public domain because it was not legally published with the permission of the copyright holder before January 1, 2003 and the author died 97 years ago. This is a posthumous work and its copyright in certain countries and areas may depend on years since posthumous publication, rather than years since the author's death. Translations or editions published later may be copyrighted.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1927, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 96 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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