Jane's Marriage
by Rudyard Kipling
Jane went to Paradise:
That was only fair.
Good Sir Walter met her first,
And led her up the stair.
Henry and Tobias,
And Miguel of Spain,
Stood with Shakespeare at the top
To welcome Jane--
Then the Three Archangels
Offered out of hand,
Anything in Heaven’s gift
That she might command.
Azrael’s eyes upon her,
Raphael’s wings above,
Michael’s sword against her heart,
Jane said: "Love."
Instantly the under-
standing Seraphim
Laid their fingers on their lips
And went to look for him.
Stole across the Zodiac,
Harnessed Charles’s Wain,
And whispered round the Nebulae:
"Who loved Jane?"
In a private limbo
Where none had thought to look
Sat a Hampshire gentleman
Reading a book.
It was called Persuasion,
And it told the plain
Story of the love between
Him and Jane.
He heard the question
Circle Heaven through--
Closed the book and answered,
"I did--and do!"
Quietly but speedily
(As Captain Wentworth moved)
Entered into Paradise
The man that Jane loved!
Back to James and Louisa's Poetry Page
Note from the LDC: this poem was an accompaniment to the short story "The Janeites" by Rudyard Kipling, which first appeared in the May, 1924 issue of The Story-Teller and later in the anthology Debits and Credits. We certainly do not claim copyright of any kind on this, nor is any copyright infringement intended.