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* * * * * THROUGH Glastonbury’s cloister dim | |
| The midnight winds were sighing; | |
| Chanting a low funereal hymn | |
| For those in silence lying, | |
| Death’s gentle flock mid shadows grim | 5 |
| Fast bound, and unreplying. | |
| |
| Hard by the monks their mass were saying; | |
| The organ evermore | |
| Its wave in alternation swaying | |
| On that smooth swell upbore | 10 |
| The voice of their melodious praying | |
| Toward heaven’s eternal shore. | |
| |
| Erelong a princely multitude | |
| Moved on through arches gray | |
| Which yet, though shattered, stand where stood | 15 |
| (God grant they stand for aye!) | |
| Saint Joseph’s church of woven wood | |
| On England’s baptism day. | |
| |
| The grave they found; their swift strokes fell, | |
| Piercing dull earth and stone. | 20 |
| They reached erelong an oaken cell, | |
| And cross of oak, whereon | |
| Was graved, “Here sleeps King Arthur well, | |
| In the isle of Avalon.” | |
| |
| The mail on every knightly breast, | 25 |
| The steel at each man’s side, | |
| Sent forth a sudden gleam; each crest | |
| Bowed low its pluméd pride; | |
| Down o’er the coffin stooped a priest,— | |
| But first the monarch cried: | 30 |
| |
| “Great King! in youth I made a vow | |
| Earth’s mightiest son to greet; | |
| His hand to worship; on his brow | |
| To gaze; his grace entreat. | |
| Therefore, though dead, till noontide thou | 35 |
| Shalt fill my royal seat!” | |
| |
| Away the massive lid they rolled,— | |
| Alas! what found they there? | |
| No kingly brow, no shapely mould; | |
| But dust where such things were. | 40 |
| Ashes o’er ashes, fold on fold,— | |
| And one bright wreath of hair. | |
| |
| Genevra’s hair! like gold it lay; | |
| For Time, though stem, is just, | |
| And humbler things feel last his sway, | 45 |
| And Death reveres his trust.— | |
| They touched that wreath; it sank away | |
| From sunshine into dust! | |
| |
| Then Henry lifted from his head | |
| The Conqueror’s iron crown; | 50 |
| That crown upon that dust he laid, | |
| And knelt in reverence down, | |
| And raised both hands to heaven, and said, | |
| “Thou God art King alone!” * * * * * | |
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