She looked upon Childe Rowland, And never a word she said, But kissed his mouth and forehead, And leaned on his breast her head... She smiled upon Childe Rowland, And into the night they fled. THE BLIND HARPER And so it came that I was led To wizard walls that haggard hung Old as their rock, black-mossed and dead, Wild-swarmed with towers; and, flaming flung Around them,--far, a moat of red,-- A million poppies sprung. And here I harped.--All seemed asleep; Till, hoarse beneath, harsh hinges gnarred And iron clanged within the Keep: And then from one gaunt casement, barred With night, a woman, dim and deep, Gazed at me long and hard. To her I sang. And as she leaned In beauty to me, dark and tall, And loud I sang of Love, I gleaned An inkling of her Court withal: For, lo, above her, watched a Fiend, Wolf-eyeballed, on the wall. Still, still I sang. And then she laughed, Laughed loud and long and evilly; And in her face I saw was craft And hate and all the sins that be: And overhead, with pointed shaft, The Fiend glared down on me. Still, still I harped. Then up she leapt, When loud I sang of Ermengard, The Queen of Love, whose Court is kept At Anjou, I, who am her bard! And from her side a raven swept, While loud she laughed and hard. Its iron beak had pierced my eyes Before my mind had half divined That those wild walls that touched the skies With Hell-built towers, terror-lined, Were Lilith's,--mother of lusts and lies,-- Love's foe, who left me blind. CHILDE RONALD Childe Ronald rode adown the wood, His spear upon his knee; When, lo, he saw a girl who stood Beneath an old oak tree. And when Childe Ronald saw her there, So fair and fresh of hue-- "Ten tire-maids wait to comb thy hair, And ten to latch thy shoe; "A gown of sendal, gold and pearl, And pearls for neck and ear--" "But I am but a low-born girl Who wait my lover here!" Childe Ronald took her by the hand And drew her to his side-- "Thou shalt be a Lady of the land.-- Now mount by me and ride." She needs must mount; and through the wood They rode unto the sea: When in his towers at last she stood A pale-faced girl was she. "Unbusk, unbusk her, tire-girls! Take off these rags," quoth he; "And clothe her body in silk and pearls, And red gold, neck and knee." They busked her in a shift of silk, And in a samite gown: They looped her throat with pearls like milk, And crowned her with a crown. They brought her in unto the priest-- She saw nor priest nor groom:-- They married her and made a feast, Then led her to her room....