The Legend of Genevieve with other tales and poems. By Delta [i.e. David Macbeth Moir] |
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THE
RUINED CASTLE. |
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 | The Legend of Genevieve |  |
89
THE RUINED CASTLE.
Lonely mansion of the dead!
Who can tell thy varied story?
All thine ancient line have fled,
Leaving thee in ruin hoary.
Who can tell thy varied story?
All thine ancient line have fled,
Leaving thee in ruin hoary.
Buttress and balcony fair,
Arrowy frieze thy lines surrounding;
Rayless keep, and hanging stair,
To the murmuring breezes sounding.
Arrowy frieze thy lines surrounding;
Rayless keep, and hanging stair,
To the murmuring breezes sounding.
Thou hast had thy day of pride,
Martial squadrons rank'd before thee;
Towering high, and flaunting wide,
Gilded banners beaming o'er thee!
Martial squadrons rank'd before thee;
Towering high, and flaunting wide,
Gilded banners beaming o'er thee!
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Heroes came, and tilted near,
Beauty claim'd thee for her dwelling;
Evening pilgrims paused to hear
Tones of mirth and music swelling.
Beauty claim'd thee for her dwelling;
Evening pilgrims paused to hear
Tones of mirth and music swelling.
From thy lattices thy light
Threw a magic halo round thee;
And, amid the shadowy night,
With a lucid girdle bound thee.
Threw a magic halo round thee;
And, amid the shadowy night,
With a lucid girdle bound thee.
Thou hast had thy day of strength,
Braved the tempest in its thunder;
Scorn'd invasion, but—at length,
Time hath rent thy joints asunder!
Braved the tempest in its thunder;
Scorn'd invasion, but—at length,
Time hath rent thy joints asunder!
Oft thy ladye from the tower,
Anxious o'er the forest glancing,
Hail'd her lord at twilight hour,
On his raven charger prancing,—
Anxious o'er the forest glancing,
Hail'd her lord at twilight hour,
On his raven charger prancing,—
Home returning through the plain,
With the laurels war had crown'd him,
Pages at his bridle-rein,
Grooms behind, and squires around him.
With the laurels war had crown'd him,
Pages at his bridle-rein,
Grooms behind, and squires around him.
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Sad are now thy chambers, which
Warriors throng'd, and woman haunted;
Wall-flower blooms in every niche
Where the culverin was planted.
Warriors throng'd, and woman haunted;
Wall-flower blooms in every niche
Where the culverin was planted.
Ivy tendrils twine thy brow,
Purple lichens cling unto thee;
Birds of night thy dwellers now,
Swallows swim and twitter through thee!
Purple lichens cling unto thee;
Birds of night thy dwellers now,
Swallows swim and twitter through thee!
Once, beneath the breath of morn,
In thy halls did cheer awaken;
Dull, and desolate, and worn,
Thou art lone, and left forsaken!
In thy halls did cheer awaken;
Dull, and desolate, and worn,
Thou art lone, and left forsaken!
Where is now thy power and pride?
Whence hath fled thine ancient glory?—
Whelm'd in time's disastrous tide:
'Tis a moral for a story!
Whence hath fled thine ancient glory?—
Whelm'd in time's disastrous tide:
'Tis a moral for a story!
| The Legend of Genevieve | |