To-- by Edgar Allan Poe

Please visit my new site

A couple of versions of this one, with two different titles.

Tamerlane and Other Poems, 1827
To — —
by Edgar Allen Poe

I saw thee on the bridal day;
    When a burning blush came o'er thee,
Tho' Happiness around thee lay,
    The world all love before thee.

And, in thine eye, the kindling light
    Of young passion free
Was all on earth, my chain'd sight
    Of Loveliness might see.

That blush, I ween, was maiden shame:
    As such it well may pass:
Tho' its glow hath rais'd a fiercer flame
    In the breast of him, alas!

Who saw thee on that bridal day,
    When that deep blush would come o'er thee, —
Tho' Happiness around thee lay;
    The world all Love before thee. —

-The End-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Raven and Other Poems, 1845
Song
by Edgar Allen Poe

I saw thee on thy bridal day —
    When a burning blush came o'er thee,
Though happiness around thee lay,
    The world all love before thee:

And in thine eye a kindling light
    (Whatever it might be)
Was all on Earth my aching sight
    Of Loveliness could see.

That blush, perhaps, was maiden shame —
    As such it well may pass —
Though its glow hath raised a fiercer flame
    In the breast of him, alas!

Who saw thee on that bridal day,
    When that deep blush would come o'er thee,
Though happiness around thee lay,
    The world all love before thee.

-The End-

[It is thought, reasonably enough, that this poem refers to Elmira Royster, Poe's childhood sweetheart. When he returned from the University of Virginia in 1827, he found that her parents had arranged a marriage to a wealthy business man, Alexander Barett Shelton (1807-1844). According to the recollections of Edward M. Alfriend, Poe came home on the day of the wedding, during the evening. The wedding having already taken place, a party was in progress at her home when Poe arrived. Unaware of the marriage, he asked her to dance and was told of what had occurred. He then learned that his letters to her and hers to him had been intercepted by her parents. Since Elmira was not actually married until December 6, 1828 and this poem was already composed and printed by that date, it has been suggested that the recollection is slightly in error, and that the party was in celebration of the engagement rather than the wedding itself.] (notes from: http://www.eapoe.org/)