WITCHCRAFT
To Effie
In clinging samite, poppy—lithe and red;
With poppy garlands twined and interwed,
She passed before the court. Her languid head
Seemed, underneath a falling cloud of hair,
Like a pale shadow born at close of day;
Also her eyes were as the eyes of May,
When the last Winter's frosts are mirrored there.
With poppy garlands twined and interwed,
She passed before the court. Her languid head
Seemed, underneath a falling cloud of hair,
Like a pale shadow born at close of day;
Also her eyes were as the eyes of May,
When the last Winter's frosts are mirrored there.
And every knight and lord who served the king
Felt round his soul a woven net-work cling,
As though enchanted by some evil thing
Deadly yet sweet. E'en Arthur almost fell
To love an alien woman, for a space
He gazed upon the beauty of her face,
Nor saw therein the loveliness of Hell.
Felt round his soul a woven net-work cling,
As though enchanted by some evil thing
Deadly yet sweet. E'en Arthur almost fell
To love an alien woman, for a space
He gazed upon the beauty of her face,
Nor saw therein the loveliness of Hell.
Through bower and court a silence reigned the day
Whereon she entered. August fever lay
On Summer splendour. 'Neath his fiery sway
All war-like jousts and tournaments, God wot,
Gave little joy. She passed within the hall;
Great marvel filled the knights assembled all.
'Whence come ye?' cried the king. She answered not.
Whereon she entered. August fever lay
On Summer splendour. 'Neath his fiery sway
All war-like jousts and tournaments, God wot,
Gave little joy. She passed within the hall;
Great marvel filled the knights assembled all.
'Whence come ye?' cried the king. She answered not.
Most strange it was to see her stand alone
Voiceless. The silence now oppressive grown
Seemed pregnant with an evil, yet unknown,
Fatal to life. Her lips were more intense
With secrecy than speech, she seemed to be
Delicious slumber, cloying every sense,
Which men despise and crave for equally.
Voiceless. The silence now oppressive grown
Seemed pregnant with an evil, yet unknown,
Fatal to life. Her lips were more intense
With secrecy than speech, she seemed to be
Delicious slumber, cloying every sense,
Which men despise and crave for equally.
Then Arthur's voice rang clear and audible,
As though to break the presence of that spell
Which held their souls with power invisible.
'Damsel,' he cried, 'whence comest thou?' The words
Died on his lips, but echoed hushed and low,
As waters spellbound in their overflow,
Or muffed calls of Winter-famished birds.
As though to break the presence of that spell
Which held their souls with power invisible.
'Damsel,' he cried, 'whence comest thou?' The words
Died on his lips, but echoed hushed and low,
As waters spellbound in their overflow,
Or muffed calls of Winter-famished birds.
Unanswering still, across her face a smile
Played like an Autumn twilight, all the guile
Of tempest hid therein. She breathed the while
A keen quick sigh that startled every sense.
And those who gazed within her eyes beheld
How strangely there the drowsy silence swelled,
Full of swift meaning, instant and intense.
Played like an Autumn twilight, all the guile
Of tempest hid therein. She breathed the while
A keen quick sigh that startled every sense.
And those who gazed within her eyes beheld
How strangely there the drowsy silence swelled,
Full of swift meaning, instant and intense.
And many yielded to that smile and leapt
Entrancéd to their feet. Her red robe crept
In clinging folds around her; on she swept
Along the mystic streets of Camelot.
Famed knights were they who followed:—Pelleas,
Gareth, and more (as phantom armies pass,
So moved they), Tristram, Gawain, Lancelot.
Entrancéd to their feet. Her red robe crept
In clinging folds around her; on she swept
Along the mystic streets of Camelot.
Famed knights were they who followed:—Pelleas,
Gareth, and more (as phantom armies pass,
So moved they), Tristram, Gawain, Lancelot.
Then cried the king, 'Alas! my knights no more
Honour the vows they made, as heretofore,
They learn a newer life, a newer lore!'
Sir Galahad and pure Sir Percivale,
With other knights of more enduring mould
Stayed still within the hall, though day waxed old,
And mournful shadows brooded thin and pale,
Honour the vows they made, as heretofore,
They learn a newer life, a newer lore!'
Sir Galahad and pure Sir Percivale,
With other knights of more enduring mould
Stayed still within the hall, though day waxed old,
And mournful shadows brooded thin and pale,
'Alas!' the king made moan, 'how little is
Remained to me of former might and bliss
Save fallen hopes and out-worn memories;
'And all my dreams, and every battle won
Over the heathen, and the holy love,
Wherewith to fill each knightly heart I strove
Oblivion soon shall claim in Avalon.'
Remained to me of former might and bliss
Save fallen hopes and out-worn memories;
'And all my dreams, and every battle won
Over the heathen, and the holy love,
Wherewith to fill each knightly heart I strove
Oblivion soon shall claim in Avalon.'
Two days had fallen lifeless, little heard
Was Glory's voice the while, but, ere the third
Languished towards night, resounding armour stirred
The mournful streets; with weary steps they came,
But how or where their yielding feet she led,
They nothing told, nor whence the damsel sped,
Nor what the honour won nor what the shame.
Was Glory's voice the while, but, ere the third
Languished towards night, resounding armour stirred
The mournful streets; with weary steps they came,
But how or where their yielding feet she led,
They nothing told, nor whence the damsel sped,
Nor what the honour won nor what the shame.
Yet, natheless, though again in fealty
Each knight bowed head before the king's decree,
And exercised all wonted chivalry,
Such vice which in those breasts had taken hold
Became accelerated, Lancelot's sin
With Guinevere grew much enhanced therein,
Gawain and Ettarre, Tristram and Isolde.
Each knight bowed head before the king's decree,
And exercised all wonted chivalry,
Such vice which in those breasts had taken hold
Became accelerated, Lancelot's sin
With Guinevere grew much enhanced therein,
Gawain and Ettarre, Tristram and Isolde.
None knew from whence she came nor what her heart
Contained of evil; when she drove apart
King Arthur's Hall by soft and hidden art
No token left she when she passed away,
Only a stillness subtle, infinite,
Was lifted as the trailing wing of night
Lifts, spreads and fades at quivered plumes of day.
Contained of evil; when she drove apart
King Arthur's Hall by soft and hidden art
No token left she when she passed away,
Only a stillness subtle, infinite,
Was lifted as the trailing wing of night
Lifts, spreads and fades at quivered plumes of day.
But:—Once towards the Court a woman sped
In trailing robes of clinging poppy-red,
And poppy garlands twined and interwed,
Deep-eyed and sorrowful with sombre hair
Sweeping her shoulders like a living thing;
And for a moment's folly, even the king
Felt Love's forbidden breath; she was so fair.
In trailing robes of clinging poppy-red,
And poppy garlands twined and interwed,
Deep-eyed and sorrowful with sombre hair
Sweeping her shoulders like a living thing;
And for a moment's folly, even the king
Felt Love's forbidden breath; she was so fair.