Bridal Ballad

Summary

The poem explores the inner turmoil and conflicting emotions of a young bride on her wedding day. Outwardly adorned with symbols of joy and wealth, like a ring and a wreath, and acknowleging her husband's love, she nonetheless grapples with haunting memories of a past love who died in battle. As she reflects on her current situation, the joy she is supposed to feel is overshadowed by a profound sense of loss and a deep-seated fear that her happiness might be built on broken promises and unresolved grief. Despite the outward charms and tokens of happiness, the bride is caught in a dream-like state where unsettling emotions blur the lines between reality and memory, questioning whether true happiness is achievable when past sorrows remain unresolved.

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The ring is on my hand,
And the wreath is on my brow;
Satins and jewels grand
Are all at my command,
And I am happy now.

And my lord he loves me well;
But, when first he breathed his vow,
I felt my bosom swell—
For the words rang as a knell,
And the voice seemed his who fell
In the battle down the dell,
And who is happy now.

But he spoke to reasure me,
And he kissed my pallid brow,
While a reverie came o’er me,
And to the church-yard bore me,
And I sighed to him before me,
Thinking him dead D’Elormie,
“Oh, I am happy now!”

And thus the words were spoken,
And thus the plighted vow,
And, though my faith be broken,
And, though my heart be broken,
Behold the golden token
That proves me happy now!

Would to God I could awaken!
For I dream I know not how,
And my soul is sorely shaken
Lest an evil step be taken,—
Lest the dead who is forsaken
May not be happy now.


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