 | The Poetical Works of Andrew Lang |  |
203
Ballade of Aucassin
Where smooth the southern waters run
Through rustling leagues of poplars gray,
Beneath a veiled soft southern sun,
We wandered out of yesterday—
Went maying in that ancient May
Whose fallen flowers are fragrant yet,
And loitered by the fountain spray
With Aucassin and Nicolete.
Through rustling leagues of poplars gray,
Beneath a veiled soft southern sun,
We wandered out of yesterday—
Went maying in that ancient May
Whose fallen flowers are fragrant yet,
And loitered by the fountain spray
With Aucassin and Nicolete.
The grass-grown paths are trod of none
Where through the woods they went astray;
The spider's traceries are spun
Across the darkling forest way;
There come no knights that ride to slay,
No pilgrims through the grasses wet,
No shepherd lads that sang their say
With Aucassin and Nicolete!
Where through the woods they went astray;
The spider's traceries are spun
Across the darkling forest way;
There come no knights that ride to slay,
No pilgrims through the grasses wet,
No shepherd lads that sang their say
With Aucassin and Nicolete!
204
'Twas here by Nicolete begun
Her lodge of boughs and grasses gay;
'Scaped from the cell of marble dun
'Twas here the lover found the fay,
O, lovers fond! O, foolish play!
How hard we find it to forget
Who fain would dwell with them as they,
With Aucassin and Nicolete.
Her lodge of boughs and grasses gay;
'Scaped from the cell of marble dun
'Twas here the lover found the fay,
O, lovers fond! O, foolish play!
How hard we find it to forget
Who fain would dwell with them as they,
With Aucassin and Nicolete.
Envoy
Prince, 'tis a melancholy lay!For youth, for life we both regret!
How fair they seem how far away;
With Aucassin and Nicolete!
| The Poetical Works of Andrew Lang | |