The Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems

rthur'

oon: already

ough the Wiltshir

e, he had gone

ht, till whet

not, though he

auncelot, the

the world was,

words in wrong c

othing now, ex

ury gilded t

whose name w

lso; that some

man's hair,

or bad I mean,)

s looks and deeds,

es, in that half-

ange strife,) that

most glad when

ught new memor

es a large moon

t as a cow b

ength to make t

gathereth dew;

arden life,

ll among the flo

on, hair loosen

eaven, that it

ind sooner to

e how quick the

en: I tell m

ast beyond the

joust must help m

l after: How

hat day under m

way'd laughin

the other thou

so fast 'twill

I think, tha

and wind, and

ore than ever

ver, she wou

feet, or, if

hand and arm

uth. And she wo

nd my neck, s

obe, strange

amed colours,

on my cheek s

ways of being;

threw all me

Enoch, and wh

d body in the

ember, as I

ittle, and lai

n my breast;

watches with my

she bow'd her

low, and did no

ver'd inwardly,

d me with pul

e out above th

, in the gree

een sky were t

on shone like

t up in heave

ings but God: th

ld, and the whit

fallen down,

alm; there were

hour, and

all my striv

se name-letter

p long, feelin

ed one wrong,

st arisen f

colours, whe

ew, but scarcel

have changed s

held scarle

garet bears u

urch walls, nat

wet woods, and t

ir and hand and

ld, nigh hid

lace, ere the

in a cool gre

on the arr

set the silke

ld her hand, o

God forgive me

t she was not

Launcelot was

fell, some pace

others, but the

so sweet; the

ely wrenched his

ping from his g

lowed; if he

at once! Still

ead before him

dding over t

night, and night,

ies; what a

t, yea, when the

n flame over a

y ears turn'd t

ch'd them twitch

sun, behind the

ut with all the

the dustiest

's brow he drew

bury roofs tha

ow quite gid

by him, tired o

ith the rushe

tired too, w

ce; yet as he

hroughout him,

he seem'd sud

d not heard of

moment only

ddy still, un

ple-trees, by

oseph in the da

e laid his he

was Arthur's,

dens told her,

orth to meet h

her, all her ro

ite veil only;

o be slain, he

glory, yea, a

ce and hands; t

st night on h

orning, grudg

ocks, until that

r breast, with a

suddenly the t

ight, when the

mps of sin t

id no word, but

th was open,

dly about fro

sked, not with

t, what made th

grey. After,

l her frame, she

both hands, ter

she was sitt

rd, and shut her

ould have torn

opp'd it, lay do

not whatever

! pity on her

ours while the

igher: He did

st she rose u

aiment on, an

d, and with her

ords against th

rdon, what sha

l? and there

ed, hear foules

ever, such

heard once

e up upon my

e; how then, Lor

for ages? d

autiful, Lor

r mother? wh

autiful, and g

ed me so, Gu

to hell, I

hrist, yea, tho

uncelot; O Chr

love? see, thou

ery sorry

st, I cannot b

in to love y

ven some time:

ist! I kiss, kis

!' The maid sa

r you, lady,'

at woe filled

se and went to

ear her comi

ad, till some

ew-cut stone: 'W

dear Lord, th

ed.' 'Gueneve

w me, are you

hair about m

nevere, but som

ive me, fair l

but I am sic

, unto such

all we twine

mad: thy heav

t about her

rt, so that

outh; so, Lord,

owing what she

his way; Guen

e! for God's lo

e is, you look

the last time kis

t lips are ver

ave his soul

band's head,

mark'd with V

did while ye

sting knight,

ake now and sh

anything

mber how when

evening through

ak about the

back from batt

ith my ladies,

eautiful with

now, Lord God?

first before the

ung round with

great tapers

on Lucius,

, but stone-col

old sword or

grim; because

ow of Launcelot

almers deftl

em'd the face

as a craftsma

ralds sung

trumpets; Fall

Lucius, Kin

d Launcelot

people shout

spears I saw y

Arthur: nay,

thur, God wou

any years; he sh

eat arms stil

e, half blinde

for the queen

elot, why did he

issed me in h

s the knight w

banner, sword,

e. Why did your

ge way unto m

d to kiss, so

e up? Why am

ell you by your

n angel's in yo

d I so ofte

yard? Why were

n the autumn

all lands with

even, as he r

he way your shi

then, my ago

ssed by day, y

d not live a r

queens held the

ps say: Yea, b

ays uncertain

ad she would

sses. When war

'd bells of n

, listen! list

k just now, I t

res to say:

aning while you

meadows! lo you

rven stone can

ves me against

quite wet wit

t keeps somewh

rt, perhaps in

e these ages.

heart! I say wh

k-toll'd bell

pots on earth, t

gardens where

lmost weeping

se days, lest one

whispers: Whe

ome kerchief t

r sharply wit

nd up, scarcel

loud, see you,

air has claws,

s too, the poor k

t with Iseult

ill, Iseult

ed quite ladyl

ds, you love

ere, uncerta

ive me! for my

life, all my

wicked; as I f

lonely palace

ids and I, to

s in the chap

I scarce coul

s red-golden h

nlight, on th

eams of what th

out of Peter

trange sins

of writing

ross the paint

with the woma

gdalen repe

scorch'd and red

ed, no gold lig

est said anyth

the sin they

eth) they looked

ing what thoug

over'd bosoms

ghts; while they g

t their feet: wh

ek'd if one sho

ang in the lon

re the birds wer

arms about p

ghts' laughs; ther

t, the king o

uwaine, like th

reth, with his

helm-crest, ere h

adan with sha

s loved to see;

and though helme

ring the frank

Palomydes,

s face brush'

ging hair; he

ough what true

ce, fretted wit

eless strivin

, with much

unt upon your

hides the swing

ult, as your swo

plate: O God,

me, as I wa

areth lets his

d Launcelot

waiting; let

adies, to se

, yea, clasp hands,

m out his sadd

indow when the

inadan rollet

: the pieces

and both the g

seult! Iseult!

ames bite ver

me, Lord God!

issing him, h

mad already

wn a little w

, rise up, I

ally, then we

the aftertime

hur, with blac

across the fai

ll you what a

ield of Arthur

d, I think, th

arm, so be he th

s crease beaut

eet fruit; as he

rthur, on so

ting hemlock

dman across his

homeward ab

ning, struck thro

d, and shield, y

Arthur in th

who you are,

ns that he may w

ce and limb

p presently

d him once, wi

him, Lord, let

celot

I know not

t it is perc

stun myself,

again! not ev

OT, on

hands towards he

ay in swoon

ds were bleedin

up, also I h