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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=538867" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Defence of Guenevere</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">But, learning now that they would have her speak,<br>She threw her wet hair backward from her brow,<br>Her hand close to her mouth touching her cheek, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">As though she had had there a shameful blow,<br>And feeling it shameful to feel ought but shame<br>All through her heart, yet felt her cheek burned so, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">She must a little touch it; like one lame<br>She walked away from Gauwaine, with her head<br>Still lifted up; and on her cheek of flame </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The tears dried quick; she stopped at last and said:<br>"O knights and lords, it seems but little skill<br>To talk of well-known things past now and dead. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"God wot I ought to say, I have done ill,<br>And pray you all forgiveness heartily!<br>Because you must be right, such great lords--still </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Listen, suppose your time were come to die,<br>And you were quite alone and very weak;<br>Yea, laid a dying while very mightily </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"The wind was ruffling up the narrow streak<br>Of river through your broad lands running well:<br>Suppose a hush should come, then some one speak: </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" 'One of these cloths is heaven, and one is hell,<br>Now choose one cloth for ever; which they be,<br>I will not tell you, you must somehow tell </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" 'Of your own strength and mightiness; here, see!'<br>Yea, yea, my lord, and you to ope your eyes,<br>At foot of your familiar bed to see </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"A great God's angel standing, with such dyes,<br>Not known on earth, on his great wings, and hands<br>Held at two ways, light from the inner skies </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Showing him well, and making his commands<br>Seem to be God's commands, moreover, too,<br>Holding within his hands the cloths on wands; </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"And one of these strange choosing cloths was blue,<br>Wavy and long, and one cut short and red;<br>No man could tell the better of the two. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"After a shivering half-hour you said:<br>'God help! heaven's colour, the blue;' and he said: 'hell.'<br>Perhaps you then would roll upon your bed, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"And cry to all good men that loved you well,<br>'Ah Christ! if only I had known, known, known;'<br>Launcelot went away, then I could tell, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Like wisest man how all things would be, moan,<br>And roll and hurt myself, and long to die,<br>And yet fear much to die for what was sown. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Nevertheless you, O Sir Gauwaine, lie,<br>Whatever may have happened through these years,<br>God knows I speak truth, saying that you lie." </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Her voice was low at first, being full of tears,<br>But as it cleared, it grew full loud and shrill,<br>Growing a windy shriek in all men's ears, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">A ringing in their startled brains, until<br>She said that Gauwaine lied, then her voice sunk,<br>And her great eyes began again to fill, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Though still she stood right up, and never shrunk,<br>But spoke on bravely, glorious lady fair!<br>Whatever tears her full lips may have drunk, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">She stood, and seemed to think, and wrung her hair,<br>Spoke out at last with no more trace of shame,<br>With passionate twisting of her body there: </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"It chanced upon a day that Launcelot came<br>To dwell at Arthur's court: at Christmas time<br>This happened; when the heralds sung his name, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" 'Son of King Ban of Benwick,' seemed to chime<br>Along with all the bells that rang that day,<br>O'er the white roofs, with little change of rhyme. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Christmas and whitened winter passed away,<br>And over me the April sunshine came,<br>Made very awful with black hail-clouds, yea </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"And in the Summer I grew white with flame,<br>And bowed my head down--Autumn, and the sick<br>Sure knowledge things would never be the same, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"However often Spring might be most thick<br>Of blossoms and buds, smote on me, and I grew<br>Careless of most things, let the clock tick, tick, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"To my unhappy pulse, that beat right through<br>My eager body; while I laughed out loud,<br>And let my lips curl up at false or true, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Seemed cold and shallow without any cloud.<br>Behold my judges, then the cloths were brought;<br>While I was dizzied thus, old thoughts would crowd, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Belonging to the time ere I was bought<br>By Arthur's great name and his little love;<br>Must I give up for ever then, I thought, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"That which I deemed would ever round me move<br>Glorifying all things; for a little word,<br>Scarce ever meant at all, must I now prove </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Stone-cold for ever? Pray you, does the Lord<br>Will that all folks should be quite happy and good?<br>I love God now a little, if this cord </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Were broken, once for all what striving could<br>Make me love anything in earth or heaven?<br>So day by day it grew, as if one should </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Slip slowly down some path worn smooth and even,<br>Down to a cool sea on a summer day;<br>Yet still in slipping there was some small leaven </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Of stretched hands catching small stones by the way,<br>Until one surely reached the sea at last,<br>And felt strange new joy as the worn head lay </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Back, with the hair like sea-weed; yea all past<br>Sweat of the forehead, dryness of the lips,<br>Washed utterly out by the dear waves o'ercast, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"In the lone sea, far off from any ships!<br>Do I not know now of a day in Spring?<br>No minute of that wild day ever slips </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"From out my memory; I hear thrushes sing,<br>And wheresoever I may be, straightway<br>Thoughts of it all come up with most fresh sting: </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"I was half mad with beauty on that day,<br>And went without my ladies all alone,<br>In a quiet garden walled round every way; </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"I was right joyful of that wall of stone,<br>That shut the flowers and trees up with the sky,<br>And trebled all the beauty: to the bone, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Yea right through to my heart, grown very shy<br>With weary thoughts, it pierced, and made me glad;<br>Exceedingly glad, and I knew verily, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"A little thing just then had made me mad;<br>I dared not think, as I was wont to do,<br>Sometimes, upon my beauty; if I had </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Held out my long hand up against the blue,<br>And, looking on the tenderly darken'd fingers,<br>Thought that by rights one ought to see quite through, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"There, see you, where the soft still light yet lingers,<br>Round by the edges; what should I have done,<br>If this had joined with yellow spotted singers, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"And startling green drawn upward by the sun?<br>But shouting, loosed out, see now! all my hair,<br>And trancedly stood watching the west wind run </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"With faintest half-heard breathing sound--why there<br>I lose my head e'en now in doing this;<br>But shortly listen--in that garden fair </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Came Launcelot walking; this is true, the kiss<br>Wherewith we kissed in meeting that spring day,<br>I scarce dare talk of the remember'd bliss, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"When both our mouths went wandering in one way,<br>And aching sorely, met among the leaves;<br>Our hands being left behind strained far away. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Never within a yard of my bright sleeves<br>Had Launcelot come before--and now, so nigh!<br>After that day why is it Guenevere grieves? </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Nevertheless you, O Sir Gauwaine, lie,<br>Whatever happened on through all those years,<br>God knows I speak truth, saying that you lie. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Being such a lady could I weep these tears<br>If this were true? A great queen such as I<br>Having sinn'd this way, straight her conscience sears; </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"And afterwards she liveth hatefully,<br>Slaying and poisoning, certes never weeps,--<br>Gauwaine, be friends now, speak me lovingly. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Do I not see how God's dear pity creeps<br>All through your frame, and trembles in your mouth?<br>Remember in what grave your mother sleeps, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Buried in some place far down in the south,<br>Men are forgetting as I speak to you;<br>By her head sever'd in that awful drouth </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Of pity that drew Agravaine's fell blow,<br>I pray your pity! let me not scream out<br>For ever after, when the shrill winds blow </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Through half your castle-locks! let me not shout<br>For ever after in the winter night<br>When you ride out alone! in battle-rout </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Let not my rusting tears make your sword light!<br>Ah! God of mercy, how he turns away!<br>So, ever must I dress me to the fight; </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"So--let God's justice work! Gauwaine, I say,<br>See me hew down your proofs: yea, all men know<br>Even as you said how Mellyagraunce one day, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"One bitter day in la Fausse Garde, for so<br>All good knights held it after, saw--<br>Yea, sirs, by cursed unknightly outrage; though </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"You, Gauwaine, held his word without a flaw,<br>This Mellyagraunce saw blood upon my bed--<br>Whose blood then pray you? is there any law </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"To make a queen say why some spots of red<br>Lie on her coverlet? or will you say:<br>`Your hands are white, lady, as when you wed, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" `Where did you bleed?' and I must stammer out: 'Nay,<br>I blush indeed, fair lord, only to rend<br>My sleeve up to my shoulder, where there lay </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" `A knife-point last night:' so must I defend<br>The honour of the lady Guenevere?<br>Not so, fair lords, even if the world should end </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"This very day, and you were judges here<br>Instead of God. Did you see Mellyagraunce<br>When Launcelot stood by him? what white fear </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Curdled his blood, and how his teeth did dance,<br>His side sink in? as my knight cried and said:<br>'Slayer of unarm'd men, here is a chance! </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" `Setter of traps, I pray you guard your head,<br>By God I am so glad to fight with you,<br>Stripper of ladies, that my hand feels lead </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" `For driving weight; hurrah now! draw and do,<br>For all my wounds are moving in my breast,<br>And I am getting mad with waiting so.' </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"He struck his hands together o'er the beast,<br>Who fell down flat and grovell'd at his feet,<br>And groan'd at being slain so young `at least.' </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"My knight said: `Rise you, sir, who are so fleet<br>At catching ladies, half-arm'd will I fight,<br>My left side all uncover'd!' then I weet, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Up sprang Sir Mellyagraunce with great delight<br>Upon his knave's face; not until just then<br>Did I quite hate him, as I saw my knight </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Along the lists look to my stake and pen<br>With such a joyous smile, it made me sigh<br>From agony beneath my waist-chain, when </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"The fight began, and to me they drew nigh;<br>Ever Sir Launcelot kept him on the right,<br>And traversed warily, and ever high </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"And fast leapt caitiff's sword, until my knight<br>Sudden threw up his sword to his left hand,<br>Caught it, and swung it; that was all the fight, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Except a spout of blood on the hot land;<br>For it was hottest summer; and I know<br>I wonder'd how the fire, while I should stand, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"And burn, against the heat, would quiver so,<br>Yards above my head; thus these matters went;<br>Which things were only warnings of the woe </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"That fell on me. Yet Mellyagraunce was shent,<br>For Mellyagraunce had fought against the Lord;<br>Therefore, my lords, take heed lest you be blent </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"With all this wickedness; say no rash word<br>Against me, being so beautiful; my eyes,<br>Wept all away to grey, may bring some sword </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"To drown you in your blood; see my breast rise,<br>Like waves of purple sea, as here I stand;<br>And how my arms are moved in wonderful wise, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Yea also at my full heart's strong command,<br>See through my long throat how the words go up<br>In ripples to my mouth; how in my hand </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"The shadow lies like wine within a cup<br>Of marvellously colour'd gold; yea now<br>This little wind is rising, look you up, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"And wonder how the light is falling so<br>Within my moving tresses: will you dare<br>When you have looked a little on my brow, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"To say this thing is vile? or will you care<br>For any plausible lies of cunning woof,<br>When you can see my face with no lie there </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"For ever? am I not a gracious proof--<br>'But in your chamber Launcelot was found'--<br>Is there a good knight then would stand aloof, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"When a queen says with gentle queenly sound:<br>'O true as steel, come now and talk with me,<br>I love to see your step upon the ground </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" 'Unwavering, also well I love to see<br>That gracious smile light up your face, and hear<br>Your wonderful words, that all mean verily </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" 'The thing they seem to mean: good friend, so dear<br>To me in everything, come here to-night,<br>Or else the hours will pass most dull and drear; </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" 'If you come not, I fear this time I might<br>Get thinking over much of times gone by,<br>When I was young, and green hope was in sight: </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" 'For no man cares now to know why I sigh;<br>And no man comes to sing me pleasant songs,<br>Nor any brings me the sweet flowers that lie </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" 'So thick in the gardens; therefore one so longs<br>To see you, Launcelot; that we may be<br>Like children once again, free from all wrongs </div><div style="margin:10px 0">" 'Just for one night.' Did he not come to me?<br>What thing could keep true Launcelot away<br>If I said, 'Come?' There was one less than three </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"In my quiet room that night, and we were gay;<br>Till sudden I rose up, weak, pale, and sick,<br>Because a bawling broke our dream up, yea </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"I looked at Launcelot's face and could not speak,<br>For he looked helpless too, for a little while;<br>Then I remember how I tried to shriek, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"And could not, but fell down; from tile to tile<br>The stones they threw up rattled o'er my head<br>And made me dizzier; till within a while </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"My maids were all about me, and my head<br>On Launcelot's breast was being soothed away<br>From its white chattering, until Launcelot said-- </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"By God! I will not tell you more to-day,<br>Judge any way you will--what matters it?<br>You know quite well the story of that fray, </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"How Launcelot still'd their bawling, the mad fit<br>That caught up Gauwaine--all, all, verily,<br>But just that which would save me; these things flit. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"Nevertheless you, O Sir Gauwaine, lie,<br>Whatever may have happen'd these long years,<br>God knows I speak truth, saying that you lie! </div><div style="margin:10px 0">"All I have said is truth, by Christ's dear tears."<br>She would not speak another word, but stood<br>Turn'd sideways; listening, like a man who hears </div><div style="margin:10px 0">His brother's trumpet sounding through the wood<br>Of his foes' lances. She lean'd eagerly,<br>And gave a slight spring sometimes, as she could </div><div style="margin:10px 0">At last hear something really; joyfully<br>Her cheek grew crimson, as the headlong speed<br>Of the roan charger drew all men to see,<br>The knight who came was Launcelot at good need.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=William+Morris">William Morris</a><div class=q> <img src="https://www.citatepedia.ro/g/32share.png" style="float:left" alt="Share"> <script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=538867" data-title="The Defence of Guenevere de William Morris" data-description="But, learning now that they would have her speak, She threw her wet hair backward from her brow, Her hand close to her mouth touching her cheek, As though she had had there a shameful blow, And feeling it shameful to feel ought but shame All thr..."></div> </div> </div>
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