Page:The college beautiful, and other poems.djvu/45

Bonny bridegroom, what small fingers
Wrought thy lady's wedding-dress,
Who the mysteries might whisper of that bridal loveliness ?

I may laugh, — 't is close and shady, —
Workmanship will have its pride,
And I fashioned yon fair lady,
Sewing stitches in my side.
Youth is good and love is better, but the satin makes the bride.

Now they come. I hear the voices,
And the merry church-bells ring,
While the very wood rejoices,
For the birds fly up to sing.
Hush! to weep upon their coming were a wicked welcoming.

I will shape my lips to kindness,
Smiling on them, ere they go.
It were sudden cure for blindness
To behold them pacing so,
She with modest, drooping lashes, he with eager looks aglow.

Bonny bridegroom, art thou idle
In my craft, when all is said?
Dost thou weave no raiment bridal
For the lady thou shalt wed?