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Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems

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<hr style="width: 65%;" />[Pg 155] <h2>OLD LOVE</h2> <div class="cpoem25"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> YOU must be very old, Sir Giles, I said; he said: Yea, very old! Whereat the mournfullest of smiles Creased his dry skin with many a fold. </div> <div class="stanza"> They hammer'd out my basnet point Into a round salade, he said, The basnet being quite out of joint, Natheless the salade rasps my head. </div> <div class="stanza"> He gazed at the great fire awhile: And you are getting old, Sir John; (He said this with that cunning smile That was most sad) we both wear on; [Pg 156]</div> <div class="stanza"> Knights come to court and look at me, With eyebrows up; except my lord, And my dear lady, none I see That know the ways of my old sword. </div> <div class="stanza"> (My lady! at that word no pang Stopp'd all my blood). But tell me, John, Is it quite true that Pagans hang So thick about the east, that on </div> <div class="stanza"> The eastern sea no Venice flag Can fly unpaid for? True, I said, And in such way the miscreants drag Christ's cross upon the ground, I dread </div> <div class="stanza"> That Constantine must fall this year. Within my heart, these things are small; This is not small, that things outwear I thought were made for ever, yea, all, </div> <div class="stanza"> All things go soon or late, I said. I saw the duke in court next day; Just as before, his grand great head Above his gold robes dreaming lay, [Pg 157]</div> <div class="stanza"> Only his face was paler; there I saw his duchess sit by him; And she, she was changed more; her hair Before my eyes that used to swim, </div> <div class="stanza"> And make me dizzy with great bliss Once, when I used to watch her sit, Her hair is bright still, yet it is As though some dust were thrown on it. </div> <div class="stanza"> Her eyes are shallower, as though Some grey glass were behind; her brow And cheeks the straining bones show through, Are not so good for kissing now. </div> <div class="stanza"> Her lips are drier now she is A great duke's wife these many years, They will not shudder with a kiss As once they did, being moist with tears. </div> <div class="stanza"> Also her hands have lost that way Of clinging that they used to have; They look'd quite easy, as they lay Upon the silken cushions brave [Pg 158]</div> <div class="stanza"> With broidery of the apples green My Lord Duke bears upon his shield. Her face, alas! that I have seen Look fresher than an April field, </div> <div class="stanza"> This is all gone now; gone also Her tender walking; when she walks She is most queenly I well know, And she is fair still. As the stalks </div> <div class="stanza"> Of faded summer-lilies are, So is she grown now unto me This spring-time, when the flowers star The meadows, birds sing wonderfully. </div> <div class="stanza"> I warrant once she used to cling About his neck, and kiss'd him so, And then his coming step would ring Joy-bells for her; some time ago. </div> <div class="stanza"> Ah! sometimes like an idle dream That hinders true life overmuch, Sometimes like a lost heaven, these seem. This love is not so hard to smutch. </div> </div></div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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