IR
NA.
All day long and every day,
From Christmas-Eve to Whit-Sunday,
Within that Chapel-aisle I lay, And no man came a-near.
Naked to the waist was I,
And deep within my breast did lie,
Though no man any blood could spy, The truncheon of a spear.
No meat did ever pass my
Those days. Alas! the sunlight
From off the gilded parclose, dips, And night comes on apace.
My arms lay back behind my head;
Over my raised-up knees was spreadA samite cloth of white and red; A rose lay on my face.
Many a time I tried to shout;
But as in dream of battle-rout,
My frozen speech would not well out; I could not even weep.
With inward sigh I see the
Fade off the pillars one by one,
My heart faints when the day is done, Because I cannot sleep.
Sometimes strange thoughts pass through my head;
Not like a tomb is this my bed,
Yet oft I think that I am dead; That round my tomb is writ,"Ozana of the hardy heart, Knight of the Table Round,
Pray for his soul, lords, of your part; A true knight he was found."Ah! me,
I cannot fathom it.[He
IR
AD.
All day long and every day,
Till his madness pass'd away,
I watch'd Ozana as he lay Within the gilded screen.
All my singing moved him not;
As I sung my heart grew hot,
With the thought of Launcelot Far away,
I ween.
So I went a little
From out the chapel, bathed my
In the stream that runs apace By the churchyard wall.
There I pluck'd a faint wild rose,
Hard by where the linden grows,
Sighing over silver rows Of the lilies tall.
I laid the flower across his mouth;
The sparkling drops seem'd good for drouth;
He smiled, turn'd round towards the south, Held up a golden tress.
The light smote on it from the west;
He drew the covering from his breast,
Against his heart that hair he prest; Death him soon will bless.
IR
RS.
I enter'd by the western door; I saw a knight's helm lying there:
I raised my eyes from off the floor, And caught the gleaming of his hair.
I stept full softly up to him; I laid my chin upon his head;
I felt him smile; my eyes did swim, I was so glad he was not dead.
I heard Ozana murmur low, "There comes no sleep nor any love."But Galahad stoop'd and kiss'd his brow: He shiver'd;
I saw his pale lips move.
IR
NA.
There comes no sleep nor any love; Ah me! I shiver with delight.
I am so weak I cannot move; God move me to thee, dear, to-night!
Christ help! I have but little wit:
My life went wrong;
I see it writ,"Ozana of the hardy heart, Knight of the Table Round,
Pray for his soul, lords, on your part; A good knight he was found."Now I begin to fathom it.[He
IR
RS.
Galahad sits dreamily;
What strange things may his eyes see,
Great blue eyes fix'd full on me?
On his soul,
Lord, have mercy.
IR
AD.
Ozana, shall I pray for thee? Her cheek is laid to thine;
No long time hence, also I see Thy wasted fingers
Within the tresses of her hair That shineth gloriously,
Thinly outspread in the clear air Against the jasper sea.
