Page:Early poems of William Morris.djvu/181

 Her tired feet look'd cold and thin,

Her lips were twitch'd, and wretched tears,

Some, as she lay, roll'd past her ears,

Some fell from off her quivering chin.

Her long throat, stretch'd to its full length,

Rose up and fell right brokenly;

As though the unhappy heart was nigh

Striving to break with all its strength.

And when she slipp'd from off the bed,

Her cramp'd feet would not hold her; she

Sank down and crept on hand and knee,

On the window-sill she laid her head.

There, with crooked arm upon the sill,

She look'd out, muttering dismally:

"There is no sail upon the sea.

No pennon on the empty hill.

"I cannot stay here all alone,

Or meet their happy faces here,

And wretchedly I have no fear;

A little while, and I am gone."

Therewith she rose upon her feet,

And totter'd; cold and misery

Still made the deep sobs come, till she

At last stretch'd out her fingers sweet,

And caught the great sword in her hand;

And, stealing down the silent stair,

Barefooted in the morning air,

And only in her smock, did stand