THE LADY OF
SHALOTT
For a friend
On either side the river lie
Long fields of barely and of rye,
That clothe the world and meet the sky;
And thro`the field the road runs bye
To many - tower`d Camelot;
And up and down the people go ,
Gazing where the lilies blow
Round an island there below ,
The island of Shalott
There she weaves by night and day
A magic web with colors gay.
She has heard a whisper say,
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down to Camalot.
She knows not what the curse may be
And so she weaves steadly ,
And little other care hath she ,
The Lady of Shalott
& & & 
A bow-shot from her bower eaves
He rode between the barely-sheaves,
The sun came dazzling thro` the leaves ,
And flamed upon the brazen greaves
Of bold Sir Lancelot .
A red- cross knight for ever kneel`d
To a lady in his shield ,
That sparkled on the yellow field ,
Beside remote Shalott
She left the web , she left the loom,
She made three paces thro` the room,
She saw the water - lily bloom,
She saw the helmit and the plume,
She look`d down to Camalot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack`d from side to side ;
"The curse is come upon me,"cried
The Lady of Shalott
.
Lying , robed in snowy white
That loosely fell to left and right
The leaves upon her falling light
Thro`the noises of the night
She floated down to Camalot.
And as the boat-head wound along
The willowy hills and fields among,
They heard her singing her last song,
The Lady of Shalott
.
.
.
Who is this? and what is here ?
And in the lighted palace near
Died the sound of royal cheer;
And they crossed themselves for fear
All the knights of Camalot:
But Lancelot mused a little space;
He said,"She has a lovely face ;
God in His mercy lend her grace" ,
The Lady of Shalott"
.
.
The knight knelt down upon the sand
He reached for her with trembling hand
Then drew her near - her waist he spanned
And kissed her cold lips and squeezed her hand
His tears fell scalding hot
As his kiss warmed her lips she sighed
She moved her head , her eyes opened wide
Around his neck her arms did slide
And pressed to his breast softly cried
The Lady of Shalott
And they lived happily ever after
To be a tear .... that was born in your eye .... ran down your soft
cheek .... and died on your lips
