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The Lady Jane Grey Internet Museum Poetry

Lady Jane Grey

Author: Thomas Chalmers Harbaugh
Source: "Maple Leaves: Poems"
Year: 1883
Found here.

The golden dials of the sky proclaimed the midnight hour,
And fifty sleepless sentinels kept watch within the Tow'r;
They represented Mary's hate, and Bloody Mary's pow'r.

And as they paced their ceaseless rounds, steel clad, and arms agleam,
For polished casque and halberd threw back every starry beam,
They thought that in her narrow cell my Lady Jane did dream.

But no! she at the window stood, with lovely face and white,
And never looked more like a queen than on that fateful night;
Upon her like a blessing fell the tremulous starlight.

The light of trust was in her eyes that sought the starry plain,
The snowy collar at her throat as yet wore no red stain,
Fear not! the ax means life fore'er, O, guiltless Lady Jane:

"Oh, England! fairest land on earth," she spoke in accents low,
"To-morrow from thy lovely scenes unfettered I shall go—
No more to greet thy crystal rills that musically flow:

"No more on Surrey's sunny slopes to hear the gay birds sing,
No more from meadows rich in bloom to see the lark take wing,
No more to drink from Guilford's hand cool water from the spring.

"To-morrow let the sunshine fall upon the forest's sheen,
And let it be the fairest day my troubled soul has seen—
To-morrow morn the headsman's ax shall make me more than queen.

"A richer heritage than this is waiting for me now,
A brighter crown than England's soon will rest upon my brow;
And I will hail as rest and peace the block to which I bow.

"They made me queen all for a week, and decked me with a crown,
But treason stood behind my throne, and sorrow weighed me down;
And all the while cried for my blood the rabble of the town.

"This blessed night I put away the vanities of earth;
I cast Ambition's robes aside as things of little worth;
The heart so gay a year ago a stranger is to mirth.

"But yet it beats for joy beneath Anticipation's sway,
I stand upon the threshold of a brighter, better day,
And greet the dawning of a peace no ax can take away.

"Farewell, oh, happy English race, whose name with pride I own!
Forget the queen of one brief week who stands tonight alone,
And loyal be to her who sits upon great Henry's throne.

"To-morrow to the somber block and then to regions blest,
To-morrow in a better land to lie on Guilford's breast,
To-morrow night this aching heart fore'er will be at rest."

She ceased, but in the corridor was heard the sentry's tread,
As back and forth he made his way with proud, uplifted head,
Nor thought of her who soon would sleep under the roses red.
The morrow came! the sunshine fell upon the forest's sheen,
My Lady Jane walked forth alone with calm and stately mien,
And sure enough the headsman's ax did make her more than queen!
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