| Alfred H. Miles, ed. Women Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907. | | | Time Flies.
XVI. “Behold the Bridegroom Cometh” | | By Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830–1894) |
| | Advent Sunday
BEHOLD, the Bridegroom cometh:—go ye out | |
| With lighted lamps and garlands round about | |
| To meet Him in a rapture with a shout. | |
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| It may be at the midnight black as pitch | |
| Earth shall cast up her poor, cast up her rich. | 5 |
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| It may be at the crowing of the cock | |
| Earth shall upheave her depth, uproot her rock. | |
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| For lo, the Bridegroom fetcheth home the Bride: | |
| His Hands are Hands she knows, she knows His Side. | |
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| Like pure Rebekah at the appointed place, | 10 |
| Veiled she unveils her face to meet His Face. | |
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| Like great Queen Esther in her triumphing, | |
| She triumphs in the presence of her King. | |
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| His Eyes are as a Dove’s, and she’s Dove-eyed; | |
| He knows His lovely mirror, sister, Bride. | 15 |
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| He speaks with Dove-voice of exceeding love, | |
| And she with love-voice of an answering Dove. | |
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| Behold, the Bridegroom cometh:—go we out | |
| With lamps ablaze and garlands round about | |
| To meet Him in a rapture with a shout. | 20 | | | |
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