TWILIGHT'S in the corners, the twilight and the fire, All its jolly marchers, Men-at-arms and archers, Clank across the carpet in most wonderful attire— Cloak and jewelled dagger, Plumes that sway and swagger, As the knights come riding, each attended by his squire: And you hear the flutter as the silken pennons flit, Hear a trumpet fanfare, and you long to follow it, Where brown-eyed princesses bend from high embattled towers, Where in wondrous gardens flame the wondrous Wishing Flowers, And where, with knightly grit, You a splendid lance may split, With a brother of the dreamland, ere the schoolroom lamp is lit! Magic through the fireguard, oh, wide and wide it flings, Tales of jousts and journeys, Tales of trysts and tourneys, Tales of monks and minstrels, and of fairy given rings, Wizard ways and witches, Caves and buried riches, Listed camps, and companies, and comradeship of kings; Yes, but when they're leading out your charger from his stall, White is he as starlight, red-caparisoned and tall, Just as you are mounting with a high and mighty mein, Lady Lucy's love gage o'er your helmet's damascene, With a crash the castles fall, Jane has left the servants' hall, And she's brought the schoolroom lamp in, and the lamp has spoilt it all! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BALLAD OF WILLIAM SYCAMORE (1790-1880) by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET ON MUSIC by WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR SONNET: 128 by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE STILL, STILL WITH THEE by HARRIET BEECHER STOWE EMBLEMS OF LOVE: 26. PLATONIC LOVE by PHILIP AYRES QUATORZAINS: 8. TO SILENCE by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES |