 | Michael Villiers, Idealist |  |
169
UNA AND DUESSA
Duessa hath scarlet raiment,
And gold and gem;
She weareth upon her forehead
A diadem;
The kings of the earth are kissing
Her garment's hem.
And gold and gem;
She weareth upon her forehead
A diadem;
The kings of the earth are kissing
Her garment's hem.
Una is clad in vesture
Of stately white;
Her locks uncrowned are morning's
Own rays of light;
But the stole she wears around her
Is black as night.
Of stately white;
Her locks uncrowned are morning's
Own rays of light;
But the stole she wears around her
Is black as night.
Duessa goes laughing lightly,
As free of care;
Duessa within the bosom
That looks so fair,
The very form of foulness
Indeed doth bear.
As free of care;
Duessa within the bosom
That looks so fair,
The very form of foulness
Indeed doth bear.
170
Una goes mourning inly,
Fair face, fair soul;
Not yet is the time for casting
Away her dole;
Not yet is the time for loosing
Her sable stole.
Fair face, fair soul;
Not yet is the time for casting
Away her dole;
Not yet is the time for loosing
Her sable stole.
Full many a time and often,
The hearts that err
Have looked on Duessa, unknowing
The lovelier;
Have taken Duessa for Una,
And worshipped her.
The hearts that err
Have looked on Duessa, unknowing
The lovelier;
Have taken Duessa for Una,
And worshipped her.
Yet once a knight of Faery
Stript the dame
Of all her royal apparel
And crown of fame;
And showed her bald and naked,
A thing of shame.
Stript the dame
Of all her royal apparel
And crown of fame;
And showed her bald and naked,
A thing of shame.
And under the stole of sable,
The snow-pure dress,
The body of Una shineth
In loveliness
The holy know,—and the striving
Perhaps may guess.
The snow-pure dress,
The body of Una shineth
In loveliness
The holy know,—and the striving
Perhaps may guess.
171
But yet Duessa goeth
In bravery;
And yet will live and queen it,
O'er mean and high;
As long as the heart of Christdom
Loveth a lie.
In bravery;
And yet will live and queen it,
O'er mean and high;
As long as the heart of Christdom
Loveth a lie.
And few to Una, the only,
Will bend the knee,
Until the eyes of Christdom,
Clean-purged to see,
Discern things only seeming
From things that be.
Will bend the knee,
Until the eyes of Christdom,
Clean-purged to see,
Discern things only seeming
From things that be.
| Michael Villiers, Idealist | |