By John Davidson
277
"I care not for my broken vow,
Though God should come in thunder soon;
I am sister to the mountains now,
And sister to the sun and moon."
Though God should come in thunder soon;
I am sister to the mountains now,
And sister to the sun and moon."
Through all the towns of Belmarie,
She made a progress like a queen.
"She is," they said, "whate'er she be,
The strangest woman ever seen.
She made a progress like a queen.
"She is," they said, "whate'er she be,
The strangest woman ever seen.
"From fairyland she must have come,
Or else she is a mermaiden."
Some said she was a ghoul, and some
A heathen goddess born again.
Or else she is a mermaiden."
Some said she was a ghoul, and some
A heathen goddess born again.
But soon her fire to ashes burned;
Her beauty changed to haggardness;
Her golden hair to silver turned;
The hour came of her last caress.
Her beauty changed to haggardness;
Her golden hair to silver turned;
The hour came of her last caress.
At midnight from her lonely bed
She rose, and said: "I have had my will."
The old ragged robe she donned, and fled
Back to the convent on the hill.
She rose, and said: "I have had my will."
The old ragged robe she donned, and fled
Back to the convent on the hill.
Half-naked as she went before,
She hurried to the city wall,
Unnoticed in the rush and roar
And splendour of the Carnival.
She hurried to the city wall,
Unnoticed in the rush and roar
And splendour of the Carnival.
"No
