As thunder-clouds that, hung on high, In thee all passion becomes passionless, In a silent meditation, Falling into a still delight, And luxury of contemplation. As waves that up a quiet cove Rolling slide, and lying still Shadow forth the banks at will, Or sometimes they swell and move, Pressing up against the land With motions of the outer sea; His bow-string slacken'd, languid Love, VIII 100 110 120 Kate saith the world is void of might.' Kate saith the men are gilded flies.' Kate snaps her fingers at my vows; Kate will not hear of lovers' sighs. I would I were an armed knight, Far-famed for well-won enterprise, And wearing on my swarthy brows The garland of new-wreathed emprise; For in a moment I would pierce The blackest files of clanging fight, And strongly strike to left and right, To lapse far back in some confused dream If one but speaks or hems or stirs his chair, So, friend, when first I look'd upon your face, Our thought gave answer each to each, so true Opposed mirrors each reflecting eachThat, tho' I knew not in what time or place, Methought that I had often met with you, And either lived in either's heart and speech. II TO J. M. K. Reprinted in 1842 from the 1830 volume. Addressed to John Mitchell Kemble (18071857) who was a fellow-student of the poet at Cambridge. My hope and heart is with thee thou wilt be A latter Luther, and a soldier-priest To scare church-harpies from the master's feast; Our dusted velvets have much need of thee: Thou art no Sabbath-drawler of old saws, Distill'd from some worm-canker'd homily; But spurr'd at heart with fieriest energy To embattail and to wall about thy cause With iron-worded proof, hating to hark The humming of the drowsy pulpit-drone Half God's good Sabbath, while the wornout clerk Brow-beats his desk below. Thou from a throne Mounted in heaven wilt shoot into the dark Arrows of lightnings. I will stand and mark. THE LADY OF SHALOTT AND OTHER POEMS This heading does not represent a separate published volume, but is found as a division of the poems in the editions of 1884 and the more recent ones. THE LADY OF SHALOTT First published in 1833, and much altered in 1842. See Notes. PART I On either side the river lie Long fields of barley and of rye, Willows whiten, aspens quiver, Flowing down to Camelot. Four gray walls, and four gray towers, By the margin, willow-veil'd, Skimming down to Camelot: But who hath seen her wave her hand? Only reapers, reaping early In among the bearded barley. Hear a song that echoes cheerly From the river winding clearly, Down to tower'd Camelot; And by the moon the reaper weary, Piling sheaves in uplands airy, Listening, whispers "T is the fairy Lady of Shalott.' 10 20 30 PART II There she weaves by night and day A curse is on her if she stay To look down to Camelot. And moving thro' a mirror clear Sometimes a troop of damsels glad, But in her web she still delights PART III A bow-shot from her bower-eaves, He rode between the barley-sheaves, 50 δο |