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Old Love 155
The Gilliflower of Gold 159
Shameful Death 163
The Eve of Crecy 166
The Judgment of God 169
The Little Tower 174
The Sailing of the Sword 178
Spell-Bound 182
The Wind 187
The Blue Closet 194
The Tune of Seven Towers 199
Golden Wings 202
The Haystack in the Floods 215
Two Red Roses across the Moon 223
Welland River 226
Riding Together 231
Father John's War-Song 234
Sir Giles' War-Song 237
Near Avalon 239
Praise of My Lady 241
Summer Dawn 246
In Prison 247
THE DEFENCE OF GUENEVERE
But, knowing 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 through her heart, yet felt her cheek burned so,
She must a little touch it; like one lame She walked away from Gauwaine, with her head Still lifted up; and on her cheek of flame
The tears dried quick; she stopped at last and said: O knights and lords, it seems but little skill To talk of well-known things past now and dead.
God wot I ought to say, I have done ill, And pray you all forgiveness heartily! Because you must be right, such great lords; still
Listen, suppose your time were come to die, And you were quite alone and very weak; Yea, laid a dying while very mightily
The wind was ruffling up the narrow streak Of river through your broad lands running well: Suppose a hush should come, then some one speak:
'One of these cloths is heaven, and one is hell, Now choose one cloth for ever; which they be, I will not tell you, you must somehow tell
Of your own strength and m
The Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems, page 1
by William Morris