The last Night that She lived 1
It was a Common Night
Except the Dying－this to Us
Made Nature different
We noticed smallest things－5
Things overlooked before
By this great light upon our Minds
Italicized－as 'twere.
As We went out and in 9
Between Her final Room
And Rooms where Those to be alive
Tomorrow were, a Blame
That Others could exist 13
While She must finish quite
A Jealousy for Her arose
So nearly infinite－
We waited while She passed－17
It was a narrow time－
Too jostled were Our Souls to speak
At length the notice came.
She mentioned, and forgot－21
Then lightly as a Reed
Bent to the Water, struggled scarce－
Consented, and was dead－
And We－We placed the Hair－25
And drew the Head erect－
And then an awful leisure was
Belief to regulate－
It was a Common Night
Except the Dying－this to Us
Made Nature different
We noticed smallest things－5
Things overlooked before
By this great light upon our Minds
Italicized－as 'twere.
As We went out and in 9
Between Her final Room
And Rooms where Those to be alive
Tomorrow were, a Blame
That Others could exist 13
While She must finish quite
A Jealousy for Her arose
So nearly infinite－
We waited while She passed－17
It was a narrow time－
Too jostled were Our Souls to speak
At length the notice came.
She mentioned, and forgot－21
Then lightly as a Reed
Bent to the Water, struggled scarce－
Consented, and was dead－
And We－We placed the Hair－25
And drew the Head erect－
And then an awful leisure was
Belief to regulate－
(F.1100/J.1100)
[1] last, lived:: the last night before a nun's final vow.
[3] Dying:: to desire extremely.
[23] Water, scarce:: baptism.
[24] dead:: her worldly part is dead.
[25] Hair:: part of the ceremony to cut a lock of hair.
It is in this convent that novices are professed, that is, make their final vows. This is a most solemn and affecting scene. ─ The Female Jesuit (1851)
One of these nuns I had known from my childhood; she was a native of my own city, and she came thither from Bruges to visit her parents, before she took the final vows, and bade, as she believed, a last farewell to England. ─ Tait's Edinburgh Magazine (1840)