 | Complete works (1925-27) |  |
THE TWO KNIGHTS
Two knights rode on along the dark,
Quietly, without word;
By lawn and copse, by pale and park,
With hands on rein and sword;
And ever one would lean to mark
If aught beyond them stirred.
Quietly, without word;
By lawn and copse, by pale and park,
With hands on rein and sword;
And ever one would lean to mark
If aught beyond them stirred.
The sea had wailed itself to sleep
Through cloud and blurrèd fire,
The sad moon seemed to shiver and weep
Like a thin face; but higher
Pure midnight made the stars seem deep
Fierce eyes of wide desire.
Through cloud and blurrèd fire,
The sad moon seemed to shiver and weep
Like a thin face; but higher
Pure midnight made the stars seem deep
Fierce eyes of wide desire.
The ragged skirts of flame that mar
The sick moon's disk they saw;
The trembling splendour of a star
Took them with patient awe,
And all those glories fair and far
Had strength to touch and draw.
The sick moon's disk they saw;
The trembling splendour of a star
Took them with patient awe,
And all those glories fair and far
Had strength to touch and draw.
One looked upon the earth and smiled
As his grave lids drew down;
The other, earnest as a child,
With brows that could not frown,
Stared heavenward, till his eyes were filled
With star, and shade, and moon.
As his grave lids drew down;
The other, earnest as a child,
With brows that could not frown,
Stared heavenward, till his eyes were filled
With star, and shade, and moon.
52
The first spoke slowly; o'er his head
A rent plume flickered pale
In the vague wind that shook and fled
Inward from sea to vale.
In a low voice and cold he said:
‘To-day were we to sail.
A rent plume flickered pale
In the vague wind that shook and fled
Inward from sea to vale.
In a low voice and cold he said:
‘To-day were we to sail.
‘Now the far vessel strains in storm,
Stretching to alien isles,
And she that looked for me may charm
New men with her old wiles;
Mine eyes take not her perfect form,
My heart her settled smiles.’
Stretching to alien isles,
And she that looked for me may charm
New men with her old wiles;
Mine eyes take not her perfect form,
My heart her settled smiles.’
Then spake the other; bare he rode
Unhelmed in the sharp night:
‘To-day I tread the path she trod
Patiently, out of sight.
She went a holy name to God;
I walk within her light.’
Unhelmed in the sharp night:
‘To-day I tread the path she trod
Patiently, out of sight.
She went a holy name to God;
I walk within her light.’
Said one: ‘Thou wert to sail with me.’
Soft the brief answer fell,
As clouds drop rain on the slow sea:
‘I would have served thee well,
But love, I knew, was not in thee;
And with love should I dwell.’
Soft the brief answer fell,
As clouds drop rain on the slow sea:
‘I would have served thee well,
But love, I knew, was not in thee;
And with love should I dwell.’
Here the wind made a sullen rent
In the stained cloud, and all
The pale fierce moon glared at them, blent
With vapour like a pall.
The sea's moan woke again; there went
Through night a stormy call.
In the stained cloud, and all
The pale fierce moon glared at them, blent
With vapour like a pall.
The sea's moan woke again; there went
Through night a stormy call.
53
The plumed knight turned; in his close hand
The bridle strained and shook;
He looked across the long low land
With a forsaken look;
Then flushed his drawn face of command,
Pale as a grey sea rock.
The bridle strained and shook;
He looked across the long low land
With a forsaken look;
Then flushed his drawn face of command,
Pale as a grey sea rock.
Never a word he spoke again,
But smote the helmless head.
Silent as falls the slow, tired rain,
The knight fell; then he said:
‘I loved not!’ and his face of pain
Grew quiet as the dead.
But smote the helmless head.
Silent as falls the slow, tired rain,
The knight fell; then he said:
‘I loved not!’ and his face of pain
Grew quiet as the dead.
But the knight rose and looked at him:
‘Go, bid them speed thy sail!
My heart is sick, my eyes turn dim,
I hear the waters wail.
Death fills my spirit to the brim
With wine of Lethe pale.
‘Go, bid them speed thy sail!
My heart is sick, my eyes turn dim,
I hear the waters wail.
Death fills my spirit to the brim
With wine of Lethe pale.
‘I hear the soundless steps that fall
Far on a golden floor,
I hear the voiceless words that call
Above us evermore.
I climb to enter in where all
Have passed in love before.
Far on a golden floor,
I hear the voiceless words that call
Above us evermore.
I climb to enter in where all
Have passed in love before.
‘She puts her rose into my hand,
Her pure face blesses mine.
I tremble; shall I ever stand
Where she stands up divine?
I tremble in the holy land,
I see her forehead shine.’
Her pure face blesses mine.
I tremble; shall I ever stand
Where she stands up divine?
I tremble in the holy land,
I see her forehead shine.’
54
Then died he. And the sea-birds came
Nor rent him, lying there,
In white robes by the taper's flame,
They robed the dead limbs fair.
Then passed and found his face the same,
Upturned, white and bare,
Nor rent him, lying there,
In white robes by the taper's flame,
They robed the dead limbs fair.
Then passed and found his face the same,
Upturned, white and bare,
In virginal white robes set round
With fringe and crimson hem.
On the bare head that took the wound
They set his diadem,
And watched him, weeping without sound.
He seemed to smile at them.
With fringe and crimson hem.
On the bare head that took the wound
They set his diadem,
And watched him, weeping without sound.
He seemed to smile at them.
His face shone like a flame; all knew
The wonderful dead face.
So was he buried where the dew
Falls thick in a green place,
Planted with flowers purple and blue.
Christ took him into grace.
The wonderful dead face.
So was he buried where the dew
Falls thick in a green place,
Planted with flowers purple and blue.
Christ took him into grace.
| Complete works (1925-27) | |