Guenivere’s Clothes

Away I’ll put my lady’s things;
She’ll not be needing them any more.
She is bound since the war of kings
For the nunnery by the lakeshore.

I remember that she wore this green
Gown to dance on the first night
When Lancelot came, and, once seen,
She never of another had her sight.

It is decorated with the gold
And gems that King Arthur bound
About her neck on the day of old 
That his queen was wed and crowned.

Rubies those gems are, and blue stones
I think are Merlin’s own creation.
I’ll put them in this chest of tree-bones
Carved at the Wizard’s inspiration.

I remember that she wore this red
On a night when all the torches flamed
And Camelot to revive the dead 
England and the court was named.

I remember that her eyes’ light
Outshone the red in all its glory
When her gaze fell on her knight.
It is a tragic, but true, story,

That she loved them both, adored
The one whom God saw fit to give
Her as her husband and her lord,
And the one who made her live.

I remember that she wore this blue
On the day when they rode with hawks
To the stream, which the wood through
And down from the mountains talks.

The gown matched her eyes’ cobalt,
While the gold on it matched her hair.
She caused many a knight to halt
And gaze abashed, she was so fair.

But she had eyes for only two:
The king, who to her was like a sun,
And Lancelot, who, though true,
Around her like a moon did run.

I remember that she wore the gold,
Soft as the hue of her hair in flame
On some holiday honored of old
With some pagan heathen name,

And she looked into the fire,
And not at the man by her side,
Or across the room, with desire.
That one evening she wished to hide

From all that they would ask of her,
And all she would of herself.
She listened to the flames’ whisper
And the creaking of the wooden shelf

As if it could tell her the answer,
What she should do with her twinned love.
Then, when all turned to watch a dancer,
Her eyes sought the roof above.

I lift the chest’s lid and hold it,
Gazing down at her clothes bright.
One is out of place; I reach to fold it,
Then stop and lift it to the light.

It is the dark red gown she wore 
On the day I followed her, to find
Her in his arms on the forest floor,
They in lovers’ passion fiery twined.

I retreated; I had not seen them,
I told myself all the way home.
The queen returned, face like a gem,
Just when searchers would begin to roam.

I looked on her shining face,
Hair braided with twigs of the wood,
And bit my tongue; not my place
It was to tell her what was good.

She cast off the crumpled dress,
Went to the window, leaned on the sill,
And asked if all sins have redress.
I could only say: "I hope they will."

She turned to me, face aglow,
Eyes solemn and bright at once,
And said, "If the Lord God should know
What kept me from Arthur’s hunts,

"Then let Him punish me as He will.
I will never forget this day."
Then she turned back to the sill,
And let me creep quiet away.

Now I clasp the gown to my breast,
Let my tears on the cloth fall down.
Why should I let it steal rest?
So she wore this dark red gown

On the day that she betrayed
The love, the kingdom, Camelot,
Broke laws that should have forbade
Her the arms of Lancelot.

She had all she deserved, in the end;
She is going into the nunnery.
She leaves without a single friend;
She saw her king go over sea

In the arms of the four queens,
Singing their songs, to Avalon.
Though there he rest on hills of green,
It changes not that he is gone.

But I remember her gaze,
The shining face she turned away.
I realize it, with amaze:
I saw no betrayal that day.

I saw only one who accepted
That she would have to pay a price,
Risked death for joy, and resurrected
The honor of a sacrifice.

I spring to my feet, and run
From the door, and to the lake,
Hoping to catch the setting sun,
Listening to hear the bells shake

Out my dear queen’s riding song.
If she must go to her nunnery,
I, her maid, will go along.
We will make the best of what is to be;

And perhaps, one day, I will take
The dark red gown out, and show
Her it in that place by the lake.
I imagine that her face will glow,

Her hand reach, then fall down.
Her voice: "I knew it would destroy,
And it is but a dark red gown."
Then she will hide her terrible joy,

And for one moment I will see
Peace and light take her in their sway,
And she will be lost in the memory
Of joy and the price she had to pay.