University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
Poems

By William Bell Scott. Ballads, Studies from Nature, Sonnets, etc. Illustrated by Seventeen Etchings by the Author and L. Alma Tadema

collapse section 
  
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 V. 
 VI. 
 VII. 
 VIII. 
 IX. 
 X. 
 XI. 
 XII. 
 XIII. 
 XIV. 
 XV. 
 XVI. 
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 V. 
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 V. 
 VI. 
 VII. 
 VIII. 
 IX. 
 X. 
 XI. 
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Beyond the sound of the widening beck
He rode to the river strand,
And at her bower-door on the island
He saw the good Kriemhild stand.
Behind her too, on either side,
Her bower-maids, a sister pair,
Clad both the same in sea-green serge,
Trimmed with the minnevair.
But her long waist was in white say,
Looped up with knops of gold;
For she was the heiress of the land,
And towns with garth and wold.
Along yon further shore you see
Her castle walls and tower;
But she had planned the tryste to be
Within her island-bower.
So these green-kirtled serving-maids,
They ferried him o'er the tide;—
As he leaned and looked in the tangled deep,
What was it he descried?

14

What was it? for he backward shrank,
And made the light bark sway,
Till it grated against the landing steps,—
He seemed to have lost his way.
The lady then came stepping down
Towards him in surprise;
Sudden he seized her two white hands,
And bowed to hide his eyes.
With that the distant warder blew
A note from the highest tower;
Startled, he kissed her two white hands,
And they passed within the bower.
‘I wonder much,’ quoth fair Joanne
To her sister Claribee,
‘What made him wince when that great fish
Swam up so bonnily?’
Each side the door then sat they down,
With lutes of cedar wood;
Joan sang this song, and Claribee,
She made the refrain good.