Bird, beast, man and worm Have crept out of the storm-- Come away! II. "Our boat has one sail, And the helmsman is pale;-- A bold pilot I trow, Who shall follow us now,"-- Shouted he-- And she cried: "Ply the oar! Put off gaily from shore!"-- As she spoke, bolts of death Mixed with hail, specked their path O'er the sea. And from isle, tower and rock, The blue beacon cloud broke, And though dumb in the blast, The red cannon flashed fast From the lee. III. "And fear'st thou, and fear'st thou? And see'st thou, and hear'st thou? And drive we not free O er the terrible sea, I and thou?" One boat-cloak did cover The loved and the lover-- Their blood beats one measure, They murmur proud pleasure Soft and low;-- While around the lashed ocean, Like mountains in motion, Is withdrawn and uplifted, Sunk, shattered and shifted To and fro. IV. In the court of the fortress Beside the pale portress, Like a bloodhound well beaten The bridegroom stands, eaten By shame; On the topmost watch-turret, As a death-boding spirit, Stands the gray tyrant father, To his voice the mad weather Seems tame; And with curses as wild As e'er clung to child, He devotes to the blast The best, loveliest, and last Of his name! ----P. B. Shelley. LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI I. [Illustration: 9188] |O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, Alone and palely loitering? The sedge has wither'd from the lake, And no birds sing. II. "O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, So haggard and so woe-begone? The squirrels granary is full, And the harvest's done. III. "I see a lily on thy brow With anguish moist and fever dew; And on thy cheek a fading rose Fast withereth too." IV. "I met a lady in the meads, Full beautiful--a faery's child, Her hair was long, her foot was light, And her eyes were wild. v. "I made a garland for her head, And bracelets too, and fragrant zone; She look'd at me as she did love, And made sweet moan. VI. "I set her on my pacing steed, And nothing else saw all day long, For sideways would she bend, and sing A faery's song. VII. "She found me roots of relish sweet, And honey wild, and manna dew, And sure in language strange she said, ' I love thee true.' VIII. "She took me to her elfin grot, And there she wept and sigh'd full sore, And there I shut her wild wild eyes With kisses four. [Illustration: 0190] IX. "And there she lulled me asleep, And there I dream'd--ah! woe betide! The latest dream I ever dream'd On the cold hill's side. x. "I saw pale kings and princes too, Pale warriors, death-pale were they all; Who cry'd--' La belle Dame sans Merci Hath thee in thrall! ' XI.