Classic and Contemporary Poetry
QUEEN GUENEVERE, by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Thence, up the sea-green floor, among the stems Last Line: To look into the great eyes of the queen. Alternate Author Name(s): Meredith, Owen; Lytton, 1st Earl Of; Lytton, Robert Subject(s): Arthurian Legend; Arthur, King | ||||||||
THENCE, up the sea-green floor, among the stems Of mighty columns whose unmeasured shades From aisle to aisle, unheeded in the sun, Moved without sound, I, following all alone A strange desire that drew me like a hand, Came unawares upon the Queen. She sat In a great silence, which her beauty filled Full to the heart of it, on a black chair Mailed all about with sullen gems, and crusts Of sultry blazonry. Her face was bowed, A pause of slumbrous beauty, o'er the light Of some delicious thought new-risen above The deeps of passion. Round her stately head A single circlet of the red gold fine Burned free, from which, on either side streamed down Twilights of her soft hair, from neck to foot. Green was her kirtle as the emerolde is, And stiff from hem to hem with seams of stones Beyond all value; which, from left to right Disparting, half revealed the snowy gleam Of a white robe of spotless samite pure. And from the soft repression of her zone, Which like a light hand on a lutestring pressed Harmony from its touch, flowed warmly back The bounteous outlines of a glowing grace, Nor yet outflowed sweet laws of loveliness. Then did I feel as one who, much perplext, Led by strange legends and the light of stars Over long regions of the midnight sand Beyond the red tract of the Pyramids, Is suddenly drawn to look upon the sky From sense of unfamiliar light, and sees, Revealed against the constellated cope The great cross of the South. The chamber round Was dropt with arras green; and I could hear, In courts far off, a minstrel praising May, Who sang...Si douce, si douce est la Margarete! To a faint lute. Upon the window-sill, Hard by a latoun bowl that blazed i' the sun Perched a strange fowl, a Falcon Peregrine; With all his feathers puft for pride, and all His courage glittering outward in his eye; For he had flown from far, athwart strange lands, And o'er the light of many a setting sun, Lured by his love (such sovereignty of old Had Beauty in all coasts of Christendom!) To look into the great eyes of the Queen. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LANCELOT by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON MERLIN by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON GALAHAD IN THE CASTLE OF THE MAIDENS by SARA TEASDALE ELAINE by EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY IDYLLS OF THE KING: BALIN AND BALAN by ALFRED TENNYSON IDYLLS OF THE KING: GARETH AND LYNETTE by ALFRED TENNYSON THE LAST WISH by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON THE WANDERER: 2. IN FRANCE: AUX ITALIENS by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON THE WANDERER: 2. IN FRANCE: THE CHESSBOARD by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON |
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