 | Egypt |  |
78
THE DEATH-SONG OF GUENEVERE
Queen Guenevere sat in her bower
When Death came entering in;
“Fair Queen,” said he, “'tis your latest hour,
And you must confess your sin.”
When Death came entering in;
“Fair Queen,” said he, “'tis your latest hour,
And you must confess your sin.”
“I cannot confess my sin,” said she,
“Come, list to my song instead,
And if you are truly a lover of me,
You may sing it when I am dead.
“Come, list to my song instead,
And if you are truly a lover of me,
You may sing it when I am dead.
“What ought a Queen to sing,
To sing with her latest breath?
What but a song of her King
And a sorrow more sad than death?
To sing with her latest breath?
79
And a sorrow more sad than death?
“My King he loveth the land
Of the people he maketh free,
That marches down to the sand
And silt of the circling sea:
My King he loveth his land,
But alas! he loveth not me!”
Of the people he maketh free,
That marches down to the sand
And silt of the circling sea:
My King he loveth his land,
But alas! he loveth not me!”
| Egypt | |