The Blind Harper

And so it came that I was led To wizard walls that haggard hung Old as their rock, black-mossed and dead, Wild-swarmed with towers; and, flaming flung Around them,--far, a moat of red,-- A million poppies sprung.

And here I harped.--All seemed asleep; Till, hoarse beneath, harsh hinges gnarred And iron clanged within the Keep: And then from one gaunt casement, barred With night, a woman, dim and deep, Gazed at me long and hard.

To her I sang. And as she leaned In beauty to me, dark and tall, And loud I sang of Love, I gleaned An inkling of her Court withal: For, lo, above her, watched a Fiend, Wolf-eyeballed, on the wall.

Still, still I sang. And then she laughed, Laughed loud and long and evilly; And in her face I saw was craft And hate and all the sins that be: And overhead, with pointed shaft, The Fiend glared down on me.

Still, still I harped. Then up she leapt, When loud I sang of Ermengard, The Queen of Love, whose Court is kept At Anjou, I, who am her bard! And from her side a raven swept, While loud she laughed and hard.

Its iron beak had pierced my eyes Before my mind had half divined That those wild walls that touched the skies With Hell-built towers, terror-lined, Were Lilith's,--mother of lusts and lies,-- Love's foe, who left me blind.