Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. V. Browning to Rupert Brooke
William Morris (18341896)Extracts from The Defence of Guenevere: Ladies Gard (from Golden Wings)
M
In the happy poplar land,
Did an ancient castle stand,
With an old knight for a warden.
In its walls, and old grey stone;
Over which red apples shone
At the right time of the year.
Yellow lichen on the stone,
Over which red apples shone;
Little war that castle knew.
Each side had a red-brick lip,
Green and mossy with the drip
Of dew and rain; there was a boat
About the stern; it was great bliss
For lovers to sit there and kiss
In the hot summer noons, not seen.
In very little ripples went;
The way the heavy aspens bent
Towards it was a thing to mind.
Went up and down with gilded chains,
’Twas pleasant in the summer rains
Within the bridge-house there to sit.
The water-weeds, for ladies came
Each day, and young knights did the same,
And gave them cakes and bread for meat.
A red roof gold-spiked over it,
Wherein upon their eggs to sit
Week after week; no drop of blood,
Came ever there, or any tear;
Most certainly from year to year
’Twas pleasant as a Provence rose.