Ballads for the Times (Now first collected,) Geraldine, A Modern Pyramid, Bartenus, A Thousand Lines, and other poems. By Martin F. Tupper. A new Edition, enlarged and revised |
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 | Ballads for the Times |  |
The name was half-spoken,—the spell was half-broken,—
And suddenly, from his bent knee
Upleapt each knight in fear!
All warily they look'd around,
Sure, they had heard a hissing sound
And one quick moment on the ground
Had seen a dragon here!
But now before their wilder'd eyes
Bright Geraldine, all sweet surprise,
With her fair hands, in courteous guise
Hath touch'd them both, and bade them rise;
“Alas, kind sirs,” she calmly said,
“I am but a poor hunted maid,
Hunted, ah me! and sore afraid,
That all too far from home have stray'd,
For love of one who flies and hates me,
For hate of one who loves and waits me.”
And suddenly, from his bent knee
Upleapt each knight in fear!
All warily they look'd around,
Sure, they had heard a hissing sound
And one quick moment on the ground
Had seen a dragon here!
But now before their wilder'd eyes
Bright Geraldine, all sweet surprise,
With her fair hands, in courteous guise
Hath touch'd them both, and bade them rise;
“Alas, kind sirs,” she calmly said,
“I am but a poor hunted maid,
Hunted, ah me! and sore afraid,
That all too far from home have stray'd,
For love of one who flies and hates me,
For hate of one who loves and waits me.”
| Ballads for the Times | |