Rosanna Eleanor Leprohon

Here you will find the Poem The Bride of a Year of poet Rosanna Eleanor Leprohon

The Bride of a Year

She stands in front of her mirror
With bright and joyous air, 
Smoothes out with a skilful hand 
Her waves of golden hair; 
But the tell-tale roses on her cheek, 
So changing yet so bright, 
And downcast, earnest eye betray 
New thoughts are hers to-night. 

Then say what is the fairy spell 
Around her beauty thrown, 
Lending a new and softer charm 
To every look and tone? 
It is the hidden consciousness -- 
The blissful, joyous thought 
That she, at length, hath wholly won 
The heart she long had sought. 

To-morrow is her bridal day, 
That day of hopes and fears, 
Of partings from beloved friends, 
Of sunshine and of tears: 
To-morrow will she say the words, 
Those words whose import deep 
Will fix her future lot in life -- 
Well might she pause and weep! 

Yet, only once, a passing cloud 
Rests on her girlish brow, 
Her dark eye gleameth restlessly -- 
She's thinking of her vow. 
But quick as light and fleecy clouds 
Flit o'er a summer sky, 
The shadow passeth from her brow, 
The trouble from her eye. 

In silvery tones she murmurs forth, 
My heart is light and glad, 
Youth, beauty, hope, are all mine own, 
Then, why should I be sad? 
To graver hearts leave graver thoughts
And all foreboding fears, 
For me, life's sunshine and its flowers, --
I am too young for tears!