The rain set early in tonight,
_____The sullen wind was soon awake,
It tore the elm-tops down for spite,
_____And did its worst to vex the lake:
_____I listened with heart fit to break.
When glided in Porphyria; straight
_____She shut the cold out and the storm,
And kneeled and made the cheerless grate
_____Blaze up, and all the cottage warm;
_____Which done, she rose, and from her form
Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl,
_____And laid her soiled gloves by, untied
Her hat and let the damp hair fall,
_____And, last, she sat down by my side
_____And called me. When no voice replied,
She put my arm about her waist,
_____And made her smooth white shoulder bare,
And all her yellow hair displaced,
_____And, stooping, made my cheek lie there,
_____And spread, o'er all, her yellow hair,
Murmuring how she loved me--she
_____Too weak, for all her heart's endeavor,
To set its struggling passion free
_____From pride, and vainer ties dissever,
_____And give herself to me forever.
But passion sometimes would prevail,
_____Nor could tonight's gay feast restrain
A sudden thought of one so pale
_____For love of her, and all in vain:
_____So, she was come through wind and rain.
Be sure I looked up at her eyes
_____Happy and proud; at last I knew
Porphyria worshiped me: surprise
_____Made my heart swell, and still it grew
_____While I debated what to do.
That moment she was mine, mine, fair,
_____Perfectly pure and good: I found
A thing to do, and all her hair
_____In one long yellow string I wound
_____Three times her little throat around,
And strangled her. No pain felt she;
_____I am quite sure she felt no pain.
As a shut bud that holds a bee,
_____I warily oped her lids: again
_____Laughed the blue eyes without a stain.
And I untightened next the tress
_____About her neck; her cheek once more
Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss:
_____I propped her head up as before,
_____Only, this time my shoulder bore
Her head, which droops upon it still:
_____The smiling rosy little head,
So glad it has its utmost will,
_____That all it scorned at once is fled,
_____And I, its love, am gained instead!
Porphyria's love: she guessed not hot
_____Her darling one wish would be heard.
And thus we sit together now,
_____And all night long we have not stirred,
_____And yet God has not said a word!