Love
The Golden Wedding-Ring
From The Poetical Works (1861)
With a white hand like a lady,
And a heart as merry as Spring,
I am ripe and I am ready
For a golden wedding-ring;
Heigho, for a wedding-ring.
This old world is scarce worth seeing,
Till Love wave his purple wing
And we gauge the bliss of being,
Thro' a golden wedding-ring;
Heigho, for a wedding-ring.
Would you draw far Eden nearer,
And to earth the Angels bring j1
You must seek the magic mirror
Of a golden wedding-ring;
Heigho, for a wedding-ring.
As the earth with sea. is bounded,
And the winter- world with spring,
So a Maiden's life is rounded
With a golden wedding-ring;
Heigho, for a wedding-ring.
I have known full many a Maiden,
Like a white rose withering,
Into a fresh ripe beauty redden
Thro' a golden wedding-ring;
Heigho, for a wedding-ring.
As the crescent Moon rings golden,
Her full glory perfecting,
Womanly beauty is unfolden
In a golden wedding-ring;
Heigho, for a wedding-ring.
Fainting spirits oft grow fearless,
Sighing hearts will soar and sing,
Tearful eyes will laugh out tearless,
Thro' a golden wedding-ring;
Heigho, for a wedding-ring.
There's no jewel so worth wearing,
That a Lover's hands may bring, —
There's no treasure worth comparing
With a golden wedding-ring;
Heigho, for a wedding-ring.
Ah! when hearts are wildly beating,
And when arms all glowing cling,
Think, Love's circle wants completing
With a golden wedding-ring;
Heigho, for a wedding-ring.
Codex Note
From the section "Songs for Singing" of The Poetical Works (1861).
Cite this poem
MLA
Massey, Gerald. “The Golden Wedding-Ring.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/massey/13/.
Chicago
Massey, Gerald. “The Golden Wedding-Ring.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/massey/13/.
Read this poem with the Codex →