Classic Poem

Now when Joanna saw what mien he wore,
And that of her no thought was in his mind,
Love's trouble in her bosom wrought so sore
That she lord Gerbert straight resolved to find
For counsel in her cause: and it befell
That Mano on his part the same designed.
The mighty Gerbert at that time did dwell
In Rouen not far off: thus sought they two,
Each unknown of the other, the same cell.
And first to say what things her journey through
Joanna met, who through the long woods went
Riding by glades and paths she little knew,
Till the night fell, and she was somewhat spent
And terrified: then in a valley drear
She heard the voice of one who made lament:
Which woful sound soon caused to disappear
From her mild bosom dreariness and dread:
And to the place she turned and drew anear.
There in the darkness at the valley's head,
An aged peasant sat and made his moan:
Who to her asking thus the occasion said:
" I to my neighbour give this mournful groan,
And to his wife, and the great wickedness
Of my own daughter, which shall now be known
My neighbour, to his own unhappiness,
Above all things desired his son to be
Married to her whom mine I must confess,
And to the same full well did I agree:
For our two farms were in this valley lone,
Where they were nurtured in their infancy,
In childhood played together, and being grown
Were in each other ordered to confide
But from the first froward my child was known;
True love might never in her soul abide:
And in the place of gentle intimacy
They did but ever wrangle, scoff, and chide
So that if love at first moved actively
Within my neighbour's son, yet soon it died
But now, the more it seemed unlike to be
That he should take my daughter for a bride,
The more his father would that so he should,
And fixed his mind upon no thought beside.
And one day walking in this mountain wood,
Casting this case full sadly in his mind,
He met the evil wight in the peaked hood,
Who told him how by art he had divined
His trouble, and that he should yet ere long
His son in marriage with my daughter bind
This comfort made his hope again wax strong:
But time went on, and love increased no whit
In that injurious pair, but pride and wrong
They would not in one room together sit,
Nor lead their flocks nor cattle the same way,
Nor space for thought of peace did they permit
For if upon the hill her flock did stray,
He in the valley kept: if she the vale,
He held the hill through all the summer day
So that our hopes again began to pale
And therewithal did damage great ensue
To our poor stock: both houses like to fail:
For we instead of one were now made two
By this perversity: and at the last
I sought my neighbour's wishes to subdue,
And thus I urged him. 'Neighbour, now is past,'
Said I, 'the term these follies to allow:
Give up the thought on which thy mind is placed
'For neither of them to our wishes bow,
And we are sundered by their enmities
Therefore thy son away from this send thou,
'And we in both our houses shall have peace
Nay, otherwise we cannot live, nor draw
Subsistence from these miserable leas:
'Persuaded be thou therefore. 'But I saw
Great sorrow take him at my words, and so
I did the matter for the time withdraw:
And he spake of the things he wished the mo "