 | Poems |  |
THE LADY'S GHOST.
The sweetest lady in the land
She sailed away from Britain's isle,
And kissed and waved her lily hand,
And sent across the waves a smile.
She sailed away from Britain's isle,
And kissed and waved her lily hand,
And sent across the waves a smile.
Ah woe is me! to sail the sea
This lovely dame was borne away,
With pipers piping merrily,
And silken pennons floating gay.
This lovely dame was borne away,
With pipers piping merrily,
And silken pennons floating gay.
353
The wind blew high, the wind blew low
It lashed the sea to many a wave;
But fast of flight, a deadlier foe,
Before the howling tempest drave.
It lashed the sea to many a wave;
But fast of flight, a deadlier foe,
Before the howling tempest drave.
A day and year, yet there nor here
The Dian touched at pier or shore,
No tidings came of hope nor fear,
Alas! that lady came no more.
The Dian touched at pier or shore,
No tidings came of hope nor fear,
Alas! that lady came no more.
“Arise! arise! my brother's son
Go forth and search by sea and land,
My heart is dead my life is done
Unless I touch my lady's hand.
Go forth and search by sea and land,
My heart is dead my life is done
Unless I touch my lady's hand.
“Ah woe is me! how sweet to see
She waved to me her fond farewells;
Her bride-ring glittered fair and free,
Her voice rang out like wedding-bells.
She waved to me her fond farewells;
Her bride-ring glittered fair and free,
Her voice rang out like wedding-bells.
“Oh dreadful doom! oh woeful fate!
Oh cruel wreck of wounds and war!
That here I lie all desolate,
While she is tossed on seas afar.
Oh cruel wreck of wounds and war!
That here I lie all desolate,
While she is tossed on seas afar.
“Go forth, my brother's sturdy son!
Go take my ship beside the pier,
Take knights and sailors many a one,
And fetch my lovely lady here.”
Go take my ship beside the pier,
Take knights and sailors many a one,
And fetch my lovely lady here.”
354
The wind blew low, the wind blew high,
When young Sir Roger sailed the sea
A whirling tempest blurred the sky
And fast the gallant ship did flee.
When young Sir Roger sailed the sea
A whirling tempest blurred the sky
And fast the gallant ship did flee.
On Sable's isle the breakers pile,
They heap and fall and rave amain
The ship that sailed a thousand mile
Shall never sail a rood again.
They heap and fall and rave amain
The ship that sailed a thousand mile
Shall never sail a rood again.
The valiant knights, the goodly crew,
Lie deep asleep 'neath ocean's roar:
But one alone the billows threw
A living man, along the shore.
Lie deep asleep 'neath ocean's roar:
But one alone the billows threw
A living man, along the shore.
He dragged him to a lonesome hut
A weary wight, to pray for sleep,
But scarce his heavy eyes were shut
Before he heard a lady weep.
A weary wight, to pray for sleep,
But scarce his heavy eyes were shut
Before he heard a lady weep.
With horrid chill his marrow crept,
But brave spoke out his heart so stout:
“'Twas but the winds the roof that swept,
The storm is wild and fierce without!”
But brave spoke out his heart so stout:
“'Twas but the winds the roof that swept,
The storm is wild and fierce without!”
He saw the glimmer of a veil,
The waving of a garment white,
A face looked in most fair and pale,
And swift he followed through the night.
The waving of a garment white,
A face looked in most fair and pale,
And swift he followed through the night.
355
And follow, follow, through the sand,
And follow through the midnight drear;
Behold that bleeding beckoning hand
Those eyes of dread, that face of fear!
And follow through the midnight drear;
Behold that bleeding beckoning hand
Those eyes of dread, that face of fear!
In Sable's isle a lake there lies,
A gloomy lake with desert shore,
Above, the sea-gull screams and flies;
Beyond, the angry breakers roar.
A gloomy lake with desert shore,
Above, the sea-gull screams and flies;
Beyond, the angry breakers roar.
Straight on and on that dame has gone
And plunged beneath the sullen wave,
The sight has passed, the dream is done,
He only heard the tempest rave.
And plunged beneath the sullen wave,
The sight has passed, the dream is done,
He only heard the tempest rave.
But lo! within the lonesome cot
Again he saw that pallid face
It waved him from the haunted spot;
But now the knight took heart of grace.
Again he saw that pallid face
It waved him from the haunted spot;
But now the knight took heart of grace.
“Speak out! speak out! my uncle's wife!
Why dost thou like a spectre stand?
Say! wert thou slain in mortal strife,
And who hath torn thy bleeding hand?”
Why dost thou like a spectre stand?
Say! wert thou slain in mortal strife,
And who hath torn thy bleeding hand?”
As hollow as the mournful moan
That cries and creeps in ocean shell;
As faint and far, as sad and lone,
As over seas a tolling bell.
That cries and creeps in ocean shell;
As faint and far, as sad and lone,
As over seas a tolling bell.
356
So sounds the voice Sir Roger knows,
The voice that once rang sweet and clear,—
“My bones beneath this sand repose,
My soul is spelled to wander here.
The voice that once rang sweet and clear,—
“My bones beneath this sand repose,
My soul is spelled to wander here.
“Alas! alas! woe worth the day,
I sailed away from Britain's shore,
Along the dreadful seas to stray,
To see my lord, my home, no more.
I sailed away from Britain's shore,
Along the dreadful seas to stray,
To see my lord, my home, no more.
“A pirate ship behind us came
With flying sails and fiends for crew;
The Dian sank in blood and flame
The gold they took the men they slew.
With flying sails and fiends for crew;
The Dian sank in blood and flame
The gold they took the men they slew.
“Then rose a storm full loud and strong,
Their ship they lost, they saved their men;
No tongue can tell what shame and wrong
They wrought within this dreadful den.
Their ship they lost, they saved their men;
No tongue can tell what shame and wrong
They wrought within this dreadful den.
“They tore away my bridal ring,
They mocked my cries of woe and fear,
A foul, dismayed, dishonored thing,
I plunged beneath the waters here.
They mocked my cries of woe and fear,
A foul, dismayed, dishonored thing,
I plunged beneath the waters here.
“My tale is done, my rest is won;
Go range and rage across the sea
Till every pirate's race be run,
Avenge with blood my lord and me!”
Go range and rage across the sea
Till every pirate's race be run,
Avenge with blood my lord and me!”
357
She faded like the fading stars.
Full chill and wild the dawn wind blew
Along the horizon's level bars
The north-lights' quivering lances flew.
Full chill and wild the dawn wind blew
Along the horizon's level bars
The north-lights' quivering lances flew.
Sir Roger swore an oath of might
Before her fair and fading ghost.
To be that lady's loyal knight
To spoil and slay the pirate's host.
Before her fair and fading ghost.
To be that lady's loyal knight
To spoil and slay the pirate's host.
And far away in Britain's isle
The bells were knelled the death-mass said
For in the castle chapel's aisle
That night her lord lay cold and dead.
The bells were knelled the death-mass said
For in the castle chapel's aisle
That night her lord lay cold and dead.
| Poems | |