If she had been the Mistletoe 1
And I had been the Rose－
How gay upon your table
My velvet life to close－
Since I am of the Druid, 5
And she is of the dew－
I'll deck Tradition's buttonhole－
And send the Rose to you.
And I had been the Rose－
How gay upon your table
My velvet life to close－
Since I am of the Druid, 5
And she is of the dew－
I'll deck Tradition's buttonhole－
And send the Rose to you.
(F.60/J.44)
[1] Mistletoe:: a hint on the kiss under the mistletoe; a flower venerated by the Druid. she:: the bride, who had been kissed by the groom under the mistletoe.
[2] Rose:: rose garland. I:: the groom, who had been prepared a rose garland to propose.
[3] your table:: the priest's pulpit table.
[4] velvet life to close:: end of one's smooth, single life.
[5] the Druid:: a mystic religion.
[6] dew:: freshness, opposite to the Druid.
[7] buttonhole:: short for button-hole flower, bouquet (OED 3).
[8] you:: a priest.
As soon as the match was settled, the happy youth presented a garland of roses to the elected object of his choice, and then led her forth to the Druid's altar, where the nuptial ceremony was solemnly performed by the ministering Druid. ─ A History of Ireland (1845)
The Druids had an extraordinary venerations for the number Three, and "on this principle," says Vallances, in his grammar of the Irish language, "it was that the mistletoe was held so sacred by them, since not only its berries, but its leaves also, grew in clusters of three, united on one stalk." ─ The Mirror of Literature (1826)