O fair with deeds the world doth grow!

Where is my true-love gotten now?

THE RAVEN

Upon the deck beside the mast He lieth now, and sleepeth fast.

THE KING'S DAUGHTER

Heard'st thou before his sleep began That he spake word of any man?

THE RAVEN

Methought of thee he sang a song, But nothing now he saith for long.

THE KING'S DAUGHTER

And wottest thou where he will wend With the world before him from end to end?

THE RAVEN

Before the battle joined that day Steingrim a word to him did say: "If we bring the banner back in peace, In the King's house much shall my fame increase; Till there no guarded door shall be But it shall open straight to me.

Then to the bower we twain shall go Where thy love the golden seam doth sew.

I shall bring thee in and lay thine hand About the neck of that lily-wand.

And let the King be lief or loth One bed that night shall hold you both."

Now north belike runs Steingrim's prow, And the rain and the wind from the south do blow.

THE KING'S DAUGHTER

Lo, fowl of death, my mother's ring, But the bridal song I must learn to sing.

And fain were I for a s.p.a.ce alone, For O the wind, and the wind doth moan.

And I must array the bridal bed, _Fair summer is on many a s.h.i.+eld._ For O the rain, and the rain drifts red!

_Fair sing the swans 'twixt firth and field._

Before the day from the night was born, _Fair summer is on many a s.h.i.+eld._ She heard the blast of Steingrim's horn, _Fair sing the swans 'twixt firth and field._ Before the day was waxen fair Were Steingrim's feet upon the stair.

"O bolt and bar they fall away, But heavy are Steingrim's feet to-day."

"O heavy the feet of one who bears The longing of days and the grief of years!

Lie down, lie down, thou lily-wand That on thy neck I may lay his hand.

Whether the King be lief or loth To-day one bed shall hold you both.

O thou art still as he is still, So sore as ye longed to talk your fill And good it were that I depart, Now heart is laid so close to heart.

For sure ye shall talk so left alone _Fair summer is on many a s.h.i.+eld._ Of days to be below the stone."

_Fair sing the swans 'twixt firth and field._

SPRING'S BEDFELLOW

Spring went about the woods to-day, The soft-foot winter-thief, And found where idle sorrow lay 'Twixt flower and faded leaf.

She looked on him, and found him fair For all she had been told; She knelt adown beside him there, And sang of days of old.

His open eyes beheld her nought, Yet 'gan his lips to move; But life and deeds were in her thought, And he would sing of love.

So sang they till their eyes did meet, And faded fear and shame; More bold he grew, and she more sweet, Until they sang the same.

Until, say they who know the thing, Their very lips did kiss, And Sorrow laid abed with Spring Begat an earthly bliss.

MEETING IN WINTER

Winter in the world it is, Round about the unhoped kiss Whose dream I long have sorrowed o'er; Round about the longing sore, That the touch of thee shall turn Into joy too deep to burn.

Round thine eyes and round thy mouth Pa.s.seth no murmur of the south, When my lips a little while Leave thy quivering tender smile, As we twain, hand holding hand, Once again together stand.

Sweet is that, as all is sweet; For the white drift shalt thou meet, Kind and cold-cheeked and mine own, Wrapped about with deep-furred gown In the broad-wheeled chariot: Then the north shall spare us not; The wide-reaching waste of snow Wilder, lonelier yet shall grow As the reddened sun falls down.

But the warders of the town, When they flash the torches out O'er the snow amid their doubt, And their eyes at last behold Thy red-litten hair of gold; Shall they open, or in fear Cry, "Alas! what cometh here?

Whence hath come this Heavenly One To tell of all the world undone?"

They shall open, and we shall see The long street litten scantily By the long stream of light before The guest-hall's half-open door; And our horses' bells shall cease As we reach the place of peace; Thou shalt tremble, as at last The worn threshold is o'er-past, And the fire-light blindeth thee: Trembling shalt thou cling to me As the sleepy merchants stare At thy cold hands slim and fair Thy soft eyes and happy lips Worth all lading of their s.h.i.+ps.

O my love, how sweet and sweet That first kissing of thy feet, When the fire is sunk alow, And the hall made empty now Groweth solemn, dim and vast!

O my love, the night shall last Longer than men tell thereof Laden with our lonely love!

THE TWO SIDES OF THE RIVER

THE YOUTHS