"The Ballad of Semmerwater" by Sir William Watson – A Curse Echoing Through Time

In Sir William Watson's haunting ballad, "The Ballad of Semmerwater," readers are transported to a place where a beggar's curse transforms a thriving town into the depths of a still and mysterious lake. This narrative unfolds with a rhythmic and melodic quality, combining elements of folklore and the supernatural to create a captivating tale.
The poem commences with a serene image: "Deep asleep, deep asleep, / Deep asleep it lies, / The still lake of Semmerwater / Under the still skies." This tranquil introduction sets the stage for the unfolding drama, portraying the lake as a dormant entity waiting for the narrative to unravel its secrets.
The subsequent lines introduce the bustling life that once surrounded Semmerwater: "Once there stood by Semmerwater / A mickle town and tall; / King's tower and queen's bower, / And the wakeman on the wall." This picturesque depiction of the town, complete with royal structures and a vigilant wakeman, contrasts sharply with the eventual fate that befalls it.
The ballad takes a dramatic turn when a beggar, in dire need, seeks refuge: "Came a beggar halt and sore: / 'I faint for lack of bread.' / King's tower and queen's bower / Cast him forth unfed." This pivotal moment, where the town heartlessly rejects the beggar, becomes the catalyst for the curse that ensues.
The beggar, spurned by the town, unleashes his wrath through a curse that damns Semmerwater: "He has cursed it into Semmerwater / Down the brant hillside." The beggar's words possess an eerie power, condemning the once-proud town to a watery grave. The imagery of the curse seeping "down the brant hillside" adds a chilling element to the narrative, emphasizing the inevitability of the impending doom.
The ballad takes a fantastical turn as it describes the submerged remnants of the town: "King's tower and queen's bower, / And weed and reed in the gloom; / And a lost city in Semmerwater, / Deep asleep till Doom." The once vibrant structures are now obscured by the lake's depths, with only glimpses of "scale and gleam of fin" hinting at the submerged city's former glory.
Watson's "The Ballad of Semmerwater" masterfully weaves a tale of consequences, where a single act of heartlessness reverberates through time. The curse transforms a thriving town into a submerged city, and the haunting images linger in the reader's mind. The ballad's rhythmic flow and evocative language make it a compelling narrative, a cautionary tale echoing through the ages about the weight of one's actions and the enduring power of curses.