Page:Poems and ballads (IA poemsballads00swinrich).pdf/329

 Thy garments upon thee were fair With scarlet and with yellow thread; Also the weaving of thine hair Was as fine gold upon thy head, And thy silk shoes were sewn with red.

All sweet things he bade sift, and ground As a man grindeth wheat in mills With strong wheels alway going round; He gave thee corn, and grass that fills The cattle on a thousand hills.

The wine of many seasons fed Thy mouth, and made it fair and clean; Sweet oil was poured out on thy head And ran down like cool rain between The strait close locks it melted in.

The strong men and the captains knew Thy chambers wrought and fashioned With gold and covering of blue, And the blue raiment of thine head Who satest on a stately bed.

All these had on their garments wrought The shape of beasts and creeping things, The body that availeth not, Flat backs of worms and veinèd wings, And the lewd bulk that sleeps and stings.