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The ring is on my hand,
And the wreath is on my brow;
[[v]]
[[n]]
Satins and jewels grand
Are all at my command,
5
And I am happy now.
[[v]]
And my lord he loves me well;
[[v]]
But, when first he breathed his vow,
I felt my bosom swell —
[[v]]
For the words rang as a knell,
10
[[v]]
[[n]]
And the voice seemed his who fell
In the battle down the dell,
And who is happy now.
[[v]]
But he spoke to re-assure me,
And he kissed my pallid brow, [page 101:]
15
[[v]]
While a reverie came o’re me,
And to the church-yard bore me,
And I sighed to him before me,
[[v]]
[[n]]
Thinking him dead D’Elormie,
[[v]]
[[n]]
“Oh, I am happy now!”
20
[[v]]
And thus the words were spoken,
[[v]]
And this the plighted vow,
And, though my faith be broken,
And, though my heart be broken,
[[v]]
[[n]]
Here is a ring as token
25
That I am happy now! —
Behold the golden token
That proves me happy now!
Would God I could awaken!
For I dream I know not how, [page 102:]
30
And my soul is sorely shaken
Lest an evil step be taken, —
[[v]]
Lest the dead who is forsaken
May not be happy now.
(1837)
[The following variants appear at the bottom of page 100:]
Title Ballad (S. L. M., S. E. P.), Song of the Newly-Wedded (S.M.).
3 After this line, S. L. M. inserts the following:
And many a rood of land.
6 He has loved me long and well (S. L. M., S. E. P.).
7 But, when first: And, when (S. L. M.), But, when (S. E. P.).
9 rang as a knell: were his who fell (S. L. M.); as: like (S. E. P., B.J.).
10 Omitted in S. L. M.
13 But: And (S. L. M.).
[The following variants appear at the bottom of page 101:]
15 While: But (S. L. M.).
18 Omitted in S.L.M.
19 After this line, S. L. M. inserts the following:
And thus they said I plighted
An irrevocable vow —
And my friends are all delighted
That his love I have requited —
And my mind is much benighted
If I am not happy now!
Lo! the ring is on my hand,
And the wreath is on my brow —
Satins and jewels grand,
And many a rood of land,
Are all at my command,
And I must be happy now!
20 I have spoken — I have spoken (S. L. M.), It was spoken — it was spoken (S. E. P.).
21 They have registered the vow (S. L. M.), Quick they registered the vow (S. E. P.).
24, 25 First inserted in the text in the Lorimer Graham copy of 1845.
[The following variants appear at the bottom of page 102:]
32 Lest: And (S. L. M., S. E. P.).
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Notes:
None.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
[S:0 - KCP, 1917] - Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Works - Bridal Ballad (ed. K. Campbell, 1917)