Poems By the Way Part 31

Thou shalt sit by my groom till the dawn of night, And then shalt thou wend thy ways aright."

Said the voice, "Yet shalt thou swear an oath That free I shall go though ye be loth."

"How shall I swear?" the false Queen spake: "Wherewith the sure oath shall I make?"

"Thou shalt swear by the one eye left in thine head, And the throng of the ghosts of the evil dead."

She swore the oath, and then she spake: "Now let the second dawn awake."

And e'en therewith the thing was done; There was peace in the hall, and the light of the sun.

And again the Queen was calm and fair, And courteous sat the guest-folk there.

Yet unto Goldilocks it seemed As if amidst the night he dreamed;

As if he sat in a gra.s.sy place, While slim hands framed his hungry face;

As if in the clearing of the wood One gave him bread and apples good;

And nought he saw of the guest-folk gay, And nought of all the Queen's array.

Yet saw he betwixt board and door, A slim maid tread the chequered floor.

Her gown of green so fair was wrought, That clad her body seemed with nought

But blossoms of the summer-tide, That wreathed her, limbs and breast and side.

And, stepping towards him daintily, A basket in her hand had she.

And as she went, from head to feet, Surely was she most dainty-sweet.

Love floated round her, and her eyes Gazed from her fairness glad and wise;

But babbling-loud the guests were grown; Unnoted was she and unknown.

Now Goldilocks she sat beside, But nothing changed was the Queenly bride;

Yea too, and Goldilocks the Swain Was grown but dull and dazed again.

The Queen smiled o'er the guest-rich board, Although his wine the Maiden poured;

Though from his dish the Maiden ate, The Queen sat happy and sedate.

But now the Maiden fell to speak From lips that well-nigh touched his cheek:

"O Goldilocks, dost thou forget?

Or mindest thou the mirk-wood yet?

Forgettest thou the hunger-pain And all thy young life made but vain?

How there was nought to help or aid, But for poor Goldilocks the Maid?"

She murmured, "Each to each we two, Our faces from the wood-mirk grew.

Hast thou forgot the gra.s.sy place, And love betwixt us face to face?

Hast thou forgot how fair I deemed Thy face? How fair thy garment seemed?

Thy kisses on my shoulders bare, Through rents of the poor raiment there?

My arms that loved thee nought unkissed All o'er from shoulder unto wrist?

Hast thou forgot how brave thou wert, Thou with thy fathers' weapon girt;

When underneath the bramble-bush I quaked like river-shaken rush,

Wondering what new-wrought shape of death Should quench my new love-quickened breath?

Or else: forget'st thou, Goldilocks, Thine own land of the wheaten shocks?

Thy mother and thy sisters dear, Thou said'st would bide thy true-love there?

Hast thou forgot? Hast thou forgot?

O love, my love, I move thee not."

Silent the fair Queen sat and smiled And heeded nought the Angel's child,

For like an image fas.h.i.+oned fair Still sat the Swain with empty stare.

These words seemed spoken not, but writ As foolish tales through night-dreams flit.

Vague pictures pa.s.sed before his sight, As in the first dream of the night.

But the Maiden opened her basket fair, And set two doves on the table there.

And soft they cooed, and sweet they billed Like man and maid with love fulfilled.

Therewith the Maiden reached a hand To a dish that on the board did stand;

And she crumbled a share of the spice-loaf brown, And the Swain upon her hand looked down;

Then unto the fowl his eyes he turned; And as in a dream his bowels yearned