Page:Poems and ballads (IA poemsballads00swinrich).pdf/293

 On a small bird with feathers gnawed upon, Beaten and plucked about the bosom-bone Whereby a small round fleck like fire there was: They called it in their tongue lampadias; This was the banner of the lordly man. In many straits of sea and reaches wan Full of quick wind, and many a shaken firth, It had seen fighting days of either earth, Westward or east of waters Gaditane (This was the place of sea-rocks under Spain Called after the great praise of Hercules) And north beyond the washing Pontic seas, Far windy Russian places fabulous, And salt fierce tides of storm-swoln Bosphorus. Now as this lord came straying in Rome town He saw a little lattice open down And after it a press of maidens' heads That sat upon their cold small quiet beds Talking, and played upon short-stringèd lutes; And other some ground perfume out of roots Gathered by marvellous moons in Asia; Saffron and aloes and wild cassia, Coloured all through and smelling of the sun; And over all these was a certain one Clothed softly, with sweet herbs about her hair And bosom flowerful; her face more fair Than sudden-singing April in soft lands: Eyed like a gracious bird, and in both hands