Classic Poem

O Love, that lights this world,
Yet leaves us i' the dark; —
I led thee to my couch,
A grave-cloth was thy sark!
O Love, we would be clothed,
And thou hast left us stark.

Lancelot (crazed) sings —

Once there was a castle hall,
Fair, fair to see,
Armored dight, and splendored all,
Filled with shout o' revelry.
Came the hosts o' fate and rage
Thundered on its walls amain.
Sunken now like ruined age,
Never laughs its light again.

I loved a Queen and she loved me.
Aye, that were long ago!
Come now wrack, come now woe,
Strike now lightning, beat now snow!
Memory, I'll ha' none o' thee!

Dagonet sings —

There may be poison in the cup
But still the foam must cling.
To keep the strong world's courage up
Poor fools must laugh and sing;
With sobs below and smiles above,
A-masking day by day,
On trampled, bleeding hopes of love.
So whirls the world away!
There may be breaking of the heart,
Though merry laughs the eye.
Still we poor fools must act our part,
And laugh, and weep, and die.
Still must we sportive battles wage,
With foam of lightsome breath,
While underneath the currents rage
And wrecks are churned to death.

Dagonet sings —

It rose upon the month o' May,
When woods were filled with laughter;
Came Margery tripping up the way,
And Jock a-stealing after.

It rose in Autumn's afternoon,
When love was dead and laughter;
That Jock went striding 'neath the moon,
And Margery pining after.