Poems (Taylor)/The Vanity of Vows
THE VANITY OF VOWS
A soul of many longings entered late A chapel like a jewel blazing bright, And fell upon the altar-steps. All nightShe held with hopes and agonies debate;With tears the litanies love-passionate Drenched her; triumphant colours burned her white; And, as the incense flamed in silver light,God sealed her to His own novitiate.
And then, because her eyes were charmed with peace, And blinded by the stars new-born within The lit sweet lids God's dreams had loverèd,—Nine paces from that House of Ecstasies Her feet were taken in the snares of sin; And, ere the morning quickened, she was dead.