Laurel · Edmund Clarence Stedman · The Poetical Works of Edmund Clarence Stedman

A Pilgrimage

Edmund Clarence Stedman (1833–1908) · 1860–1897

iambic tetrameter · 216 lines · from The Poetical Works of Edmund Clarence Stedman

When buttercups are blossoming,The poets sang, ’tis best to wed:So all for love we paired in Spring—Blanche and I—ere youth had sped,For Autumn’s wealth brings Autumn’s wane.Sworn fealty to royal ArtWas ours, and doubly linked the chain,With symbols of her high domain,That twined us ever heart to heart;And onward, like the Babes in the Wood,We rambled, till before us stoodThe outposts of Bohemia.

For, roaming blithely many a day,Eftsoons our little hoard of gold,Like Christian’s follies, slipt away,Unloosened from the pilgrim’s hold,But left us just as blithe and free;Whereat our footsteps turned asideFrom lord and lady of degree,And bore us to that brave countreeWhere merrily we now abide,—That proud and humble, poor and grand,Enchanted, golden Gypsy-Land,The Valley of Bohemia.

Together from the higher clime,By terraced cliff and copse along,Adown the slant we stept, in timeTo many another pilgrim’s song,And came where faded far away,Each side, the kingdom’s ancient wall,From breaking unto dying day;Beyond, the magic valley lay,With glimpse of shimmering stream and fall;And here, between twin turrets, ran,Built o’er with arch and barbacan,The entrance to Bohemia.

Beneath the lichened parapetGrim-sculptured Gog and Magog boreThe Royal Arms,—Hope’s Anchor, setIn azure, on a field of or,With pendent mugs, and hands that wieldA lute and tambour, graven clear;What seemed a poet’s scroll revealedThe antique legend of the shield:Cambrinus. Rex. helde. Wassaille. here.Joyned. with. ye. Kinge. of. Yvetot.O. worlde-worne. Pilgrim. passe. belowe.To. entre. fayre. Bohemia.

No churlish warder barred the gate,Nor other pass was needed thereThan equal heart for either fate,And barren scrip, and hope to spare.Through the gray archway, hand in hand,We walked, beneath the rampart high,And on within the wondrous land;There, changed as by enchanter’s wand,My sweetheart, fairer to the eyeThan ever, moved along sereneIn hood and cloak,—a gypsy queen,Born princess of Bohemia!

A fairy realm! where slope and stream,Champaign and upland, town and grange,Like shadowy shiftings of a dream,Forever blend and interchange;A magic clime! where, hour by hour,Storm, cloud, and sunshine, fleeting by,Commingle, and, through shine and shower,Bright castles, lit with rainbows, tower,Emblazoning the distant skyWith glimmering glories of a landFar off, yet ever close at handAs hope, in brave Bohemia.

On either side the travelled way,Encamped along the sunny downs,The blithesome, bold Bohemians lay;Or hid, in quaintly-gabled towns,At smoke-stained inns of musty date,And spider-haunted attic nooksIn empty houses of the great,Still smacking of their ancient state,—Strewn round with pipes and mouldy books,And robes and buskins over-worn,That well become the careless scornAnd freedom of Bohemia.

For, loving Beauty, and, by chance,Too poor to make her all in all,They spurn her half-way maintenance,And let things mingle as they fall;Dissevered from all other climes,Yet compassing the whole round world,Where’er are jests, and jousts at rhymes,True love, and careless, jovial times,Great souls by jilting Fortune whirled,Men that were born before their day,Kingly, without a realm to sway,Yet monarchs in Bohemia;

And errant wielders of the quill;And old-world princes, strayed afar,In thread-bare exile chasing stillThe glimpses of a natal star;And Woman—taking refuge thereWith woman’s toil, and trust, and song,And something of a piquant airDefiant, as who must and dareSteer her own shallop, right or wrong.A certain noble nature schools,In scorn of smaller, mincing rules,The maidens of Bohemia.

But we pursued our pilgrimageFar on, through hazy lengths of road,Or crumbling cities gray with age;And stayed in many a queer abode,Days, seasons, years,—wherein were bornOf infant pilgrims, one, two, three;And ever, though with travel worn,Nor garnered for the morrow’s morn,We seemed a merry company,—We, and the mates whom friendship, orWhat sunshine fell within our door,Drew to us in Bohemia.

For Ambrose—priest without a cure—Christened our babes, and drank the wineHe blessed, to make the blessing sure;And Ralph, the limner—half-divineThe picture of my Blanche he drew,As Saint Cecilia ’mong the caves,—She singing; eyes a holy blue,Upturned and rapturous; hair, in hue,Gold rippled into amber waves.There, too, is wayward, wild Annette,Danseuse and warbler and grisette,True daughter of Bohemia,

But all by turns and nothing long;And Rose, whose needle gains her bread;And bookish Sibyl,—she whose tongueThe bees of Hybla must have fed;And one—a poet—nowise sageFor self, but gay companion boonAnd prophet of the golden age;He joined us in our pilgrimageLong since, one early Autumn noonWhen, faint with journeying, we sateWithin a wayside hostel-gateTo rest us in Bohemia.

In rusty garb, but with an airOf grace, that hunger could not whelm,He told his wants, and—“Could we spareAught of the current of the realm—A shilling?”—which I gave; and soCame talk, and Blanche’s kindly smile;Whereat he felt his heart aglow,And said: “Lo, here is silver! lo,Mine host hath ale! and it were vile,If so much coin were spent by meFor bread, when such good companyIs gathered in Bohemia.”

Richer than Kaiser on his throne,A royal stoup he bade them bring;And so, with many of mine own,His shilling vanished on the wing;And many a skyward-floating strainHe sang, we chorusing the layTill all the hostel rang again;But when the day began to wane,Along the sequel of our wayHe kept us pace; and, since that time,We never lack for song and rhymeTo cheer us, in Bohemia.

And once we stopped a twelvemonth, whereFive-score Bohemians beganTheir scheme to cheapen bed and fare,Upon a late-discovered plan;“For see,” they said, “the sum how smallBy which one pilgrim’s wants are met!And if a host together fall,What need of any cash at all?”Though how it worked I half forget,Yet still the same old dance and songWe found,—the kindly, blithesome throngAnd joyance of Bohemia.

Thus onward through the Magic Land,With varying chance. But once there pastA mystic shadow o’er our band,Deeper than Want could ever cast,For, oh, it darkened little eyes!We saw our youngest darling die,Then robed her in her palmer’s guise,And crossed the fair hands pilgrim-wise,And, one by one, so tenderly,Came Ambrose, Sibyl, Ralph, and Rose,Strewing each sweetest flower that growsIn wildwoods of Bohemia.

But last the Poet, sorrowing, stoodAbove the tiny clay, and said:“Bright little Spirit, pure and good,Whither so far away hast fled?Full soon thou tryest that other sphere:Whate’er is lacking in our livesThou dost attain; for Heaven is near,Methinks, to pilgrims wandering here,As to that one who never strivesWith fortune,—has not come to knowThe pride and pain that dwell so lowIn valleys of Bohemia.”

He ceased, and pointed solemnlyThrough western windows; and we sawThat lustrous castle of the skyGleam, touched with flame; and heard with awe,About us, gentle whisperingsOf unseen watchers hovering nearOur dead, and rustling angel wings!Now, whether this or that year bringsThe valley’s end, or, haply, hereOur pilgrimage for life must last,We know not; but a sacred pastHas hallowed all Bohemia.

Words in this poem 77

wealth n.: Weal; welfare; prosperity; good. [OE. welthe, from wele; cf. D. weelde luxury. See Weal prosperity.]
blithely adv.: In a blithe manner.
eftsoons adv.: Again; anew; a second time; at once; speedily. [OE. eftsone, eftsones; AS. eft + s soon. See Eft, and Soon.]
blithe a.: Gay; merry; sprightly; joyous; glad; cheerful; as, a blithe spirit. [AS. bli blithe, kind; akin to Goth. blei kind, Icel. bli mild, gentle, Dan. & Sw. blid gentle, D. blijd blithe, OHG. blidi kind, blithe.]
whereat adv.: At which; upon which; whereupon; -- used relatively.
enchanted a.: Under the power of enchantment; possessed or exercised by enchanters; as, an enchanted castle.
clime n.: A climate; a tract or region of the earth. See Climate. [L. clima. See Climate.]
copse n.: A wood of small growth; a thicket of brushwood. See Coppice. [Contr. from coppice.]
adown adv.: From a higher to a lower situation; downward; down, to or on the ground. [OE. adun, adoun, adune. AS. of dune off the hill. See Down.]
shimmering n.: A gleam or glimmering.
lichened a.: Belonging to, or covered with, lichens.
wield v. t.: To govern; to rule; to keep, or have in charge; also, to possess. [OE. welden to govern, to have power over, to possess, AS. geweldan, gewyldan, from wealdan; akin to OS. waldan, OFries. walda, G. walten, OHG. waltan, Icel. val]
tambour n.: A kind of small flat drum; a tambourine.
graven p. p.: Carved. Graven image, an idol; an object of worship carved from wood, stone, etc.
wassaille n.: An ancient expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to some one. [AS. wes hal (or an equivalent form in another dialect) be in health, which was the form of drinking a health. The form wes is imperative. See Was, and Whole.]
passe a.: Past; gone by; hence, past one's prime; worn; faded; as, a passée belle. Ld. Lytton. [F.]
warder n.: One who wards or keeps; a keeper; a guard.
scrip n.: A small bag; a wallet; a satchel. [OE. scrippe, probably of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. & OSw. skreppa, and also LL. scrippum, OF. esquerpe, escrepe, F. écharpe scarf. Cf. Scarp, Scarf a piece of dr]
archway n.: A way or passage under an arch.
wondrous adv.: In a wonderful or surprising manner or degree; wonderfully. [OE. wonders, adv. (later also adj.). See Wonder, n., and cf. -wards.]
princess n.: A female prince; a woman having sovereign power, or the rank of a prince. [F. princesse. See Prince, and cf. Princesse.]
champaign n.: A flat, open country. [OF. champaigne; same word as campagne.]
grange n.: A building for storing grain; a granary. [F. grange barn, LL. granea, from L. granum grain. See Grain a kernel.]
sunshine n.: The light of the sun, or the place where it shines; the direct rays of the sun, the place where they fall, or the warmth and light which they give.
commingle v. t.: To mingle together; to mix in one mass, or intimately; to blend.
emblazoning n.: The act or art of heraldic decoration; delineation of armorial bearings.
sunny a.: Of or pertaining to the sun; proceeding from, or resembling the sun; hence, shining; bright; brilliant; radiant.
blithesome a.: Cheery; gay; merry.
quaintly adv.: In a quaint manner.
haunted a.: Inhabited by, or subject to the visits of, apparitions; frequented by a ghost.
smacking n.: A sharp, quick noise; a smack.
mouldy a.: Overgrown with, or containing, mold; as, moldy cheese or bread. [From Mold the growth of fungi.]
spurn v. t.: To drive back or away, as with the foot; to kick. [OE. spurnen to kick against, to stumble over, AS. spurnan to kick, offend; akin to spura spur, OS. & OHG. spurnan to kick, Icel. spyrna, L. spernere to despise,]
compassing a.: Curved; bent; as, compassing timbers.
jovial a.: Of or pertaining to the god, or the planet, Jupiter. [F., fr. L. Jovialis pertaining to Jove. The planet Jupiter was thought to make those born under it joyful or jovial. See Jove.]
errant n.: One who wanders about. Fuller.
afar adv.: At, to, or from a great distance; far away; -- often used with from preceding, or off following; as, he was seen from afar; I saw him afar off. [Pref. a-.(for on or of) + far.]
natal a.: Of or pertaining to one's birth; accompying or dating from one's birth; native. [L. natalis, fr. natus, p.p. of nasci to be born: cf. F. natal. See Nation, and cf. Noel.]
defiant a.: Full of defiance; bold; insolent; as, a defiant spirit or act. [Cf. F. défiant, p. pr. of défier. See Defy.]
mincing a.: That minces; characterized by primness or affected nicety.
pilgrimage n.: The journey of a pilgrim; a long journey; especially, a journey to a shrine or other sacred place. Fig., the journey of human life. [OE. pilgrimage, pelgrinage; cf. F. pèlerinage.]
hazy a.: Thick with haze; somewhat obscured with haze; not clear or transparent. [From Haze, n.]
stayed a.: Staid; fixed; settled; sober; -- now written staid. See Staid.
abode n.: Act of waiting; delay. [OE. abad, abood, fr. abiden to abide. See Abide. For the change of vowel, cf. abode, imp. of abide.]
morn n.: The first part of the day; the morning; -- used chiefly in poetry. [OE. morwen, morgen, AS. morgen; akin to D. morgen, OS. morgan, G. morgen, Icel. morginn, morgunn, Sw. morgon, Dan. morgen, Goth. maúrgins. Cf. Morrow, Morning.]
ambrose n.: A sweet-scented herb; ambrosia. See Ambrosia, 3. Turner.
drank n.: Wild oats, or darnel grass. See Drake a plant. [Cf. 3d Drake.]
ralph n.: A name sometimes given to the raven.
limner n.: A painter; an artist; esp.: (a) One who paints portraits. [F. enlumineur, LL. illuminator. See Limn, and cf. Alluminor.]
wayward a.: Taking one's own way; disobedient; froward; perverse; willful. [OE. weiward, for aweiward, i. e., turned away. See Away, and -ward.]
danseuse n.: a professional female dancer; a woman who dances at a public exhibition as in a ballet. [F., fr. danser to dance.]
grisette n.: A French girl or young married woman of the lower class; more frequently, a young working woman who is fond of gallantry. Sterne. [F., fr. grisette a gray woolen cloth, fr. gris gray. Grisettes were so called because they wore gray gowns made of this stuff. See Gars.]
bookish a.: Given to reading; fond of study; better acquainted with books than with men; learned from books.
sibyl n.: A woman supposed to be endowed with a spirit of prophecy.
nowise adv.: Not in any manner or degree; in no way; noways. [For in no wise. See Wise, n.]
boon n.: A prayer or petition. [OE. bone, boin, a petition, fr. Icel. b; akin to Sw. & Dan. b, AS. b, and perh. to E. ban; but influenced by F. bon good, fr. L. bonus. Ban, Bounty.]
sate v. t.: To satisfy the desire or appetite of; to satiate; to glut; to surfeit. [Probably shortened fr. satiate: cf. L. satus full. See Satiate.]
wayside n.: The side of the way; the edge or border of a road or path.
garb n.: External appearance, as expressive of the feelings or character; looks; fashion or manner, as of speech. [OF. garbe looks, countenance, grace, ornament, fr. OHG. garawi, garwi, ornament, dress. akin to E. gear. See Gear, n.]
whelm v. t.: To cover with water or other fluid; to cover by immersion in something that envelops on all sides; to overwhelm; to ingulf.
aught n.: Property; possession. [AS. , fr. agan to own, p. p. ahte.]
aglow adv.: In a glow; glowing; as, cheeks aglow; the landscape all aglow. [Pref. a- + glow.]
kaiser n.: The ancient title of emperors of Germany assumed by King William of Prussia when crowned sovereign of the new German empire in 1871. [Gr., fr. L. Caesar. Cf. Kesar, and Czar.]
stoup n.: A flagon; a vessel or measure for liquids. [See Stoop a vessel.]
bade: A form of the pat tense of Bid.
sequel n.: That which follows; a succeeding part; continuation; as, the sequel of a man's advantures or history. [L. sequela, fr. sequit to follow: cf. F. séquelle a following. See Sue to follow.]
twelvemonth n.: A year which consists of twelve calendar months.
cheapen v. t.: To ask the price of; to bid, bargain, or chaffer for. [OE. cheapien, chepen, to trade, buy, sell, AS. ceápian; akin to D. koopen to buy, G. kaufen, Icel. kaupa, Goth. kaupon to trade. Cf. Chap to bargain.]
joyance n.: Enjoyment; gayety; festivity; joyfulness. [OF. joiance.]
tenderly adv.: In a tender manner; with tenderness; mildly; gently; softly; in a manner not to injure or give pain; with pity or affection; kindly.
strewing n.: The act of scattering or spreading.
whither adv.: To what place; -- used interrogatively; as, whither goest thou [OE. whider. AS. hwider; akin to E. where, who; cf. Goth. hvadre whither. See Who, and cf. Hither, Thither.]
hast: , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
methinks v.: It seems to me; I think. See Me. [AS. þyncan to seem, me þynceedh, me þuhte, OE. me thinketh, me thoughte; akin to G. dünken to seem, denken to think, and E. think. See Me, and Think.]
dwell v. i.: To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
unseen a.: Not seen or discovered.
haply adv.: By hap, chance, luck, or accident; perhaps; it may be.

Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.

About this text

A Pilgrimage is in the public domain. This text is taken from The poetical works of Edmund Clarence Stedman, Project Gutenberg ebook #70763; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.

Cite as: Edmund Clarence Stedman, A Pilgrimage, in The Poetical Works of Edmund Clarence Stedman (1860–1897), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #70763, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/stedman-poems/a-pilgrimage.html, id L10637.

Form and metre

A Pilgrimage is 216 lines in 18 stanzas of 12 lines each. The metre is iambic tetrameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 91%). 88% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 8.4 syllables. 33 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 29% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.

See other poems in iambic tetrameter.

Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.

Rhyme words, stanza by stanza

The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.

1 ABABCDCCDEE- blossoming^A · wed^B · spring^A · sped^B · wane^C · art^D · chain^C · domain^C · heart^D · wood^E · stood^E · bohemia
2 ABABCDCCDEE- day^A · gold^B · away^A · hold^B · free^C · aside^D · degree^C · countree^C · abide^D · grand^E · land^E · bohemia
3 ABABCDCCD--- clime^A · along^B · time^A · song^B · away^C · wall^D · day^C · lay^C · fall^D · ran · barbacan · bohemia
4 ABABCDCCD--- parapet^A · bore^B · set^A · or^B · wield^C · clear^D · revealed^C · shield^C · here^D · yvetot · belowe · bohemia
5 ABABCDC-DEE- gate^A · there^B · fate^A · spare^B · hand^C · high^D · land^C · wand · eye^D · serene^E · queen^E · bohemia
6 ABABCDCCDEE- stream^A · grange^B · dream^A · interchange^B · hour^C · by^D · shower^C · tower^C · sky^D · land^E · hand^E · bohemia
7 ABABCDCCDEE- way^A · downs^B · lay^A · towns^B · date^C · nooks^D · great^C · state^C · books^D · worn^E · scorn^E · bohemia
8 ABABCDCCDEE- chance^A · all^B · maintenance^A · fall^B · climes^C · world^D · rhymes^C · times^C · whirled^D · day^E · sway^E · bohemia
9 ABABCDCCDEE- quill^A · afar^B · still^A · star^B · there^C · song^D · air^C · dare^C · wrong^D · schools^E · rules^E · bohemia
10 ABABC-CC-DD- pilgrimage^A · road^B · age^A · abode^B · born^C · three · worn^C · morn^C · company · or^D · door^D · bohemia
11 ABABCDCCDEE- cure^A · wine^B · sure^A · divine^B · drew^C · caves^D · blue^C · hue^C · waves^D · annette^E · grisette^E · bohemia
12 -A-ABCBBCDD- long · bread^A · tongue · fed^A · sage^B · boon^C · age^B · pilgrimage^B · noon^C · sate^D · gate^D · bohemia
13 ABABCDCCD--- air^A · whelm^B · spare^A · realm^B · so^C · smile^D · aglow^C · lo^C · vile^D · me · company · bohemia
14 ABABCDCCDEE- throne^A · bring^B · own^A · wing^B · strain^C · lay^D · again^C · wane^C · way^D · time^E · rhyme^E · bohemia
15 ABABCDCCDEE- where^A · began^B · fare^A · plan^B · small^C · met^D · fall^C · all^C · forget^D · song^E · throng^E · bohemia
16 ABABC-CC-DD- land^A · past^B · band^A · cast^B · eyes^C · die · guise^C · wise^C · tenderly · rose^D · grows^D · bohemia
17 ABABCDCCDEE- stood^A · said^B · good^A · fled^B · sphere^C · lives^D · near^C · here^C · strives^D · know^E · low^E · bohemia
18 -A-ABCBBCDD- solemnly · saw^A · sky · awe^A · whisperings^B · near^C · wings^B · brings^B · here^C · last^D · past^D · bohemia

Scansion, line by line

Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic tetrameter. How this is done.

Line	Syl.	Stress
When buttercups are blossoming,	8	·/˘··/˘˘
The poets sang, ’tis best to wed:	8	·/˘·····
So all for love we paired in Spring—	9	······˘··
Blanche and I—ere youth had sped,	7	·······
For Autumn’s wealth brings Autumn’s wane.	8	·/˘··/˘·
Sworn fealty to royal Art	8	·/˘˘·/˘·
Was ours, and doubly linked the chain,	10	·/˘·/˘·˘··
With symbols of her high domain,	8	·/˘···˘/
That twined us ever heart to heart;	9	··˘·/˘···
And onward, like the Babes in the Wood,	9	·/˘······
We rambled, till before us stood	9	·/˘˘·····
The outposts of Bohemia.	8	·/··˘/˘˘
For, roaming blithely many a day,	9	·/˘/˘/˘··
Eftsoons our little hoard of gold,	9	··/˘/˘···
Like Christian’s follies, slipt away,	8	·/˘/˘·˘/
Unloosened from the pilgrim’s hold,	9	···˘··/˘·
But left us just as blithe and free;	8	········
Whereat our footsteps turned aside	10	˘//˘/··˘˘/
From lord and lady of degree,	8	···/˘·˘/
And bore us to that brave countree	8	········
Where merrily we now abide,—	8	·/˘˘··˘/
That proud and humble, poor and grand,	8	···/˘···
Enchanted, golden Gypsy-Land,	8	˘/˘/˘/˘·
The Valley of Bohemia.	8	·/˘·˘/˘˘
Together from the higher clime,	8	˘/˘··/˘·
By terraced cliff and copse along,	9	·/˘˘···˘/
Adown the slant we stept, in time	8	˘/······
To many another pilgrim’s song,	9	·/˘˘/˘/˘·
And came where faded far away,	8	···/˘·˘/
Each side, the kingdom’s ancient wall,	8	···/˘/˘·
From breaking unto dying day;	8	·/˘··/˘·
Beyond, the magic valley lay,	8	···/˘/˘·
With glimpse of shimmering stream and fall;	9	···/˘˘···
And here, between twin turrets, ran,	8	·····/˘·
Built o’er with arch and barbacan,	8	·····/˘˘
The entrance to Bohemia.	8	·/˘·˘/˘˘
Beneath the lichened parapet	9	···/˘˘/˘·
Grim-sculptured Gog and Magog bore	9	·/˘˘·····
The Royal Arms,—Hope’s Anchor, set	8	·/˘··/˘·
In azure, on a field of or,	8	·/˘·····
With pendent mugs, and hands that wield	8	·/˘·····
A lute and tambour, graven clear;	8	···/˘/˘·
What seemed a poet’s scroll revealed	10	··˘·/˘·˘/˘
The antique legend of the shield:	8	·˘//˘···
Cambrinus. Rex. helde. Wassaille. here.	9	·········
Joyned. with. ye. Kinge. of. Yvetot.	9	·˘·······
O. worlde-worne. Pilgrim. passe. belowe.	9	···/˘·/··
To. entre. fayre. Bohemia.	8	·/˘·˘/˘˘
No churlish warder barred the gate,	9	·/˘/˘·˘··
Nor other pass was needed there	8	·/˘··/˘·
Than equal heart for either fate,	8	·/˘··/˘·
And barren scrip, and hope to spare.	8	·/˘·····
Through the gray archway, hand in hand,	8	···/····
We walked, beneath the rampart high,	9	··˘···/˘·
And on within the wondrous land;	8	·····/˘·
There, changed as by enchanter’s wand,	9	··˘··˘/˘·
My sweetheart, fairer to the eye	8	·/·/˘···
Than ever, moved along serene	9	·/˘·˘˘/˘/
In hood and cloak,—a gypsy queen,	8	·····/˘·
Born princess of Bohemia!	8	·/˘·˘/˘˘
A fairy realm! where slope and stream,	8	·/˘·····
Champaign and upland, town and grange,	8	˘/·/˘···
Like shadowy shiftings of a dream,	9	·/˘˘/˘···
Forever blend and interchange;	8	˘/˘···˘/
A magic clime! where, hour by hour,	10	·/˘··/˘·/˘
Storm, cloud, and sunshine, fleeting by,	8	···/·/˘·
Commingle, and, through shine and shower,	9	˘/˘····/˘
Bright castles, lit with rainbows, tower,	9	·/˘··/·/˘
Emblazoning the distant sky	8	˘/˘˘·/˘·
With glimmering glories of a land	9	·/˘˘/˘···
Far off, yet ever close at hand	8	···/˘···
As hope, in brave Bohemia.	8	····˘/˘˘
On either side the travelled way,	9	·/˘··/˘˘·
Encamped along the sunny downs,	9	˘/˘˘/·/˘·
The blithesome, bold Bohemians lay;	9	·/˘·˘/˘˘·
Or hid, in quaintly-gabled towns,	9	···/˘/˘˘·
At smoke-stained inns of musty date,	9	···˘··/˘·
And spider-haunted attic nooks	8	·/˘/˘/˘·
In empty houses of the great,	8	·/˘/˘···
Still smacking of their ancient state,—	8	·/˘··/˘·
Strewn round with pipes and mouldy books,	8	·····/˘·
And robes and buskins over-worn,	8	········
That well become the careless scorn	8	··˘/·/˘·
And freedom of Bohemia.	8	·/˘·˘/˘˘
For, loving Beauty, and, by chance,	8	·/˘/˘···
Too poor to make her all in all,	8	········
They spurn her half-way maintenance,	8	·····/˘˘
And let things mingle as they fall;	8	···/˘···
Dissevered from all other climes,	9	···˘··/˘·
Yet compassing the whole round world,	8	·/˘˘····
Where’er are jests, and jousts at rhymes,	9	˘˘/······
True love, and careless, jovial times,	9	···/˘/˘˘·
Great souls by jilting Fortune whirled,	9	···/˘/˘·˘
Men that were born before their day,	8	········
Kingly, without a realm to sway,	8	/˘······
Yet monarchs in Bohemia;	8	·/··˘/˘˘
And errant wielders of the quill;	8	·/˘·····
And old-world princes, strayed afar,	9	···/˘·˘˘/
In thread-bare exile chasing still	8	···/·/˘·
The glimpses of a natal star;	8	·/˘··/˘·
And Woman—taking refuge there	8	·/˘/˘/˘·
With woman’s toil, and trust, and song,	8	·/˘·····
And something of a piquant air	8	·/˘··/˘·
Defiant, as who must and dare	8	˘/˘·····
Steer her own shallop, right or wrong.	8	···/˘···
A certain noble nature schools,	8	·/˘/˘/˘·
In scorn of smaller, mincing rules,	8	···/˘/˘·
The maidens of Bohemia.	8	·/˘·˘/˘˘
But we pursued our pilgrimage	10	··˘/˘/˘/˘˘
Far on, through hazy lengths of road,	8	···/˘···
Or crumbling cities gray with age;	9	·/˘˘/˘···
And stayed in many a queer abode,	10	··˘·/˘··˘/
Days, seasons, years,—wherein were born	8	·/˘·····
Of infant pilgrims, one, two, three;	8	·/˘/˘···
And ever, though with travel worn,	8	·/˘··/˘·
Nor garnered for the morrow’s morn,	9	·/˘˘··/˘·
We seemed a merry company,—	9	··˘·/˘/˘˘
We, and the mates whom friendship, or	8	·····/˘·
What sunshine fell within our door,	9	·/····/˘·
Drew to us in Bohemia.	8	····˘/˘˘
For Ambrose—priest without a cure—	8	·/······
Christened our babes, and drank the wine	10	/˘˘/˘·····
He blessed, to make the blessing sure;	9	··˘···/˘·
And Ralph, the limner—half-divine	8	···/˘·˘/
The picture of my Blanche he drew,	8	·/˘·····
As Saint Cecilia ’mong the caves,—	8	··˘/˘···
She singing; eyes a holy blue,	8	·/˘··/˘·
Upturned and rapturous; hair, in hue,	10	˘/˘·/˘˘···
Gold rippled into amber waves.	9	·/˘˘··/˘·
There, too, is wayward, wild Annette,	8	···/˘·˘/
Danseuse and warbler and grisette,	8	···/˘·˘/
True daughter of Bohemia,	8	·/˘·˘/˘˘
But all by turns and nothing long;	8	·····/˘·
And Rose, whose needle gains her bread;	8	···/˘···
And bookish Sibyl,—she whose tongue	8	·/˘/˘···
The bees of Hybla must have fed;	8	········
And one—a poet—nowise sage	8	···/˘/˘·
For self, but gay companion boon	8	····˘/˘·
And prophet of the golden age;	8	·/˘··/˘·
He joined us in our pilgrimage	10	··˘··/˘/˘˘
Long since, one early Autumn noon	8	···/˘/˘·
When, faint with journeying, we sate	8	···/˘˘··
Within a wayside hostel-gate	8	···/·/˘·
To rest us in Bohemia.	8	····˘/˘˘
In rusty garb, but with an air	8	·/˘·····
Of grace, that hunger could not whelm,	8	···/˘···
He told his wants, and—“Could we spare	8	········
Aught of the current of the realm—	8	···/˘···
A shilling?”—which I gave; and so	8	·/˘·····
Came talk, and Blanche’s kindly smile;	8	···/˘/˘·
Whereat he felt his heart aglow,	8	˘/····˘/
And said: “Lo, here is silver! lo,	8	·····/˘·
Mine host hath ale! and it were vile,	8	········
If so much coin were spent by me	8	········
For bread, when such good company	8	·····/˘˘
Is gathered in Bohemia.”	9	·/˘˘·˘/˘˘
Richer than Kaiser on his throne,	8	/˘·/˘···
A royal stoup he bade them bring;	8	·/˘·····
And so, with many of mine own,	8	···/˘···
His shilling vanished on the wing;	9	·/˘/˘˘···
And many a skyward-floating strain	9	·/˘·/˘/˘·
He sang, we chorusing the lay	8	···/˘˘··
Till all the hostel rang again;	8	···/˘·˘/
But when the day began to wane,	8	····˘/··
Along the sequel of our way	9	˘/·/˘·/˘·
He kept us pace; and, since that time,	8	········
We never lack for song and rhyme	8	·/˘·····
To cheer us, in Bohemia.	8	····˘/˘˘
And once we stopped a twelvemonth, where	9	····˘·/˘·
Five-score Bohemians began	8	··˘/˘˘˘/
Their scheme to cheapen bed and fare,	8	···/˘···
Upon a late-discovered plan;	9	····˘/˘˘·
“For see,” they said, “the sum how small	8	········
By which one pilgrim’s wants are met!	8	···/˘···
And if a host together fall,	8	····˘/˘·
What need of any cash at all?”	8	···/˘···
Though how it worked I half forget,	9	····˘··˘/
Yet still the same old dance and song	8	········
We found,—the kindly, blithesome throng	8	···/˘/˘·
And joyance of Bohemia.	8	·/˘·˘/˘˘
Thus onward through the Magic Land,	8	·/˘··/˘·
With varying chance. But once there past	9	·/˘˘·····
A mystic shadow o’er our band,	9	·/˘/··/˘·
Deeper than Want could ever cast,	8	/˘···/˘·
For, oh, it darkened little eyes!	9	···/˘˘/˘·
We saw our youngest darling die,	9	··/˘/˘/˘·
Then robed her in her palmer’s guise,	9	··˘···/˘·
And crossed the fair hands pilgrim-wise,	9	··˘···/˘·
And, one by one, so tenderly,	8	·····/˘˘
Came Ambrose, Sibyl, Ralph, and Rose,	8	·/·/˘···
Strewing each sweetest flower that grows	9	/˘·/˘/˘··
In wildwoods of Bohemia.	8	·/··˘/˘˘
But last the Poet, sorrowing, stood	9	···/˘/˘˘·
Above the tiny clay, and said:	8	···/˘···
“Bright little Spirit, pure and good,	8	·/˘/˘···
Whither so far away hast fled?	8	/˘··˘/··
Full soon thou tryest that other sphere:	8	·····/˘·
Whate’er is lacking in our lives	10	˘˘/·/˘·/˘·
Thou dost attain; for Heaven is near,	9	··˘/·/˘··
Methinks, to pilgrims wandering here,	9	˘/·/˘/˘˘·
As to that one who never strives	8	·····/˘·
With fortune,—has not come to know	8	·/˘·····
The pride and pain that dwell so low	8	········
In valleys of Bohemia.”	8	·/˘·˘/˘˘
He ceased, and pointed solemnly	9	··˘·/˘/˘˘
Through western windows; and we saw	8	·/˘/˘···
That lustrous castle of the sky	8	·/˘/˘···
Gleam, touched with flame; and heard with awe,	9	··˘······
About us, gentle whisperings	8	···/˘/˘˘
Of unseen watchers hovering near	9	·˘//˘/˘˘·
Our dead, and rustling angel wings!	9	/˘··/˘/˘·
Now, whether this or that year brings	8	········
The valley’s end, or, haply, here	8	·/˘··/˘·
Our pilgrimage for life must last,	9	/˘/˘˘····
We know not; but a sacred past	9	·····/˘˘·
Has hallowed all Bohemia.	9	·/˘˘·˘/˘˘

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More by Edmund Clarence Stedman

The Poetical Works of Edmund Clarence Stedman