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Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems

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<hr style="width: 65%;" />[Pg 223] <h2>TWO RED ROSES ACROSS THE MOON</h2> <div class="cpoem25"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> THERE was a lady lived in a hall, Large of her eyes, and slim and tall; And ever she sung from noon to noon, Two red roses across the moon. </div> <div class="stanza"> There was a knight came riding by In early spring, when the roads were dry; And he heard that lady sing at the noon, Two red roses across the moon. </div> <div class="stanza"> Yet none the more he stopp'd at all, But he rode a-gallop past the hall; And left that lady singing at noon, Two red roses across the moon. [Pg 224]</div> <div class="stanza"> Because, forsooth, the battle was set, And the scarlet and blue had got to be met, He rode on the spur till the next warm noon: Two red roses across the moon. </div> <div class="stanza"> But the battle was scatter'd from hill to hill, From the windmill to the watermill; And he said to himself, as it near'd the noon, Two red roses across the moon. </div> <div class="stanza"> You scarce could see for the scarlet and blue, A golden helm or a golden shoe: So he cried, as the fight grew thick at the noon, Two red roses across the moon! </div> <div class="stanza"> Verily then the gold bore through The huddled spears of the scarlet and blue; And they cried, as they cut them down at the noon, Two red roses across the moon! </div> <div class="stanza"> I trow he stopp'd when he rode again By the hall, though draggled sore with the rain; And his lips were pinch'd to kiss at the noon Two red roses across the moon. [Pg 225]</div> <div class="stanza"> Under the may she stoop'd to the crown, All was gold, there was nothing of brown; And the horns blew up in the hall at noon, Two red roses across the moon. </div> </div></div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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