The Jacquerie. A Fragment/Song for the Jacquerie (2 of 3)

Betrayal
The sun has kissed the violet sea, And burned the violet to a rose. O Sea! wouldst thou not better be     Mere violet still? Who knows? who knows? Well hides the violet in the wood: The dead leaf wrinkles her a hood, And winter’s ill is violet’s good; But the bold glory of the rose, It quickly comes and quickly goes— Red petals whirling in white snows, Ah me!

The sun has burnt the rose-red sea: The rose is turned to ashes gray. O Sea, O Sea, mightst thou but be     The violet thou hast been to-day! The sun is brave, the sun is bright, The sun is lord of love and light; But after him it cometh night. Dim anguish of the lonesome dark! —           Once a girl’s body, stiff and stark, Was laid in a tomb without a mark, Ah me!