Christabel

"Tis the middle of the night by the castle clock
And the owls have awakened the crowing cock
Tu-whit! Tu-whoo!
And bark again, the crowing cock
How drowsily it crew"
This exquisite child of the Baron roams
Through the forest mesmerized by moonlight alone
Here she dreams in fear, for her betrothed knight
Until her prayers are torn asunder by a moan of fright
What evil secrets lie behind the giant oak?
A desperate vision of female perfection dressed in white
She glittered to the eye, sensual and luminescent
She seems to glow, she seemed to glow...
How did she come to the lands of Sir Leoline?
Will her prayers protect her night so well?
Hush, healing heart of Christabel!
Revealed to her upon the asking of maiden lost
The name of Geraldine and the story of...
Crime against a lady of noble line
For she did tell a strange and frightful tale, with voice so sweet
She shall enchant, she will entrance
Her glow would cast a shadow that would...
Swallow the sweet child whole
A willing audience here in the wood shrouded cold
Left to wait in brisk midnight, by dark and faceless rouges
She makes demand on thy lady's hand
To see this maiden home
Together women of night make haste for candlelight
To the estate of Sir Leoline, to hell it chimes
To rest her there for the evening to pass unfold
Over the moat to the gate of his chivalry bold
Geraldine fell, sweet Christabel
Carry her over the threshold well
Though up she came as if she never were in pain
Past the hearth and into the view of the portrait of Baron
But when the lady passed
There came a tongue of light, and a fit of flame
Thy temptress is divine!
"Sweet Christabel, her feet doth bare
And jealous of the listening air
They steal their way from stair to stair
Now in the glimmer, and now in the gloom
And now they pass the Baron's room
As still as death, with stifled breath
And now they have reached her chamber door
And now Geraldine doth press down
The rushes of the chamber floor
Christabel trims the light
And makes it bright again!"
The forlorn maiden drinks
A wild flower wine for Geraldine
Standing now in pride, she summons her savior
"Quoth Christabel, so let it be
And as the lady bade did she
Her gentle limbs dis he undress
And lay down in her loveliness."
And as she lay in wait
Her heart will race for the night to wait for
A sinful view she keeps
As robes fall to the maiden's feet
Eves that burn the soul
She lay beside this latest prize
And in her words she doth told
Her prisoner, in arms she holds:
"In the touch of this bosom there worketh a spell
Which is lord of thy utterance, Christabel
Thou knowest tonight, and wilt know tomorrow
This mark of my shame, this seal of my sorrow."
...Sunrise....
Oh what evil night was this?
To wake the morn in sinful bliss?
Her look askance seethes disease
For the dawn hath no rest when by sin she pleased
With tear for if her mother near
A watching angel hath no fear
From her death she came from her desire
To be loved, returned by this noble sire
But now upon the waking moans of dawn
Her magic lay me still at mouth
Anxious mements with the drawing in of breath
Be still my beating hear, for it doth quake beneath my breast!
My father kind and strong for now he gaze upon
The beauty that stands before his noble grace
Her name and face ring familiar
A lost friend by poisoned words
So long ago buy now his daughter here
The Bard he bade make haste
To right the words of time lost wrongs
To move swiftly and carry verse to his dear lost friend
But the Bard awaits to tell a tale, a dream to him last night
A dove with voice of mine, as upon it's neck a snake doth feed
And swelled it's neck as if swelled hers
Christabel escapes the dying trance of beauty
And gains her senses, paused, and silently prayed
She dare not allow the unholy passions reign
As she doth fall to the Barron's feet
So by her father's countenance she may be saved
Here upon the castle floor, she cries in bitter anguish
Her secrets of the passing night, she dare not tell
Sweet Chrstabel doth pleads for her father to heed her wishes
Upon her lost mother's seal to send the creature
Back to the night from whence it came
"Within the Baron's heart and brain
If thoughts, like these, had any share
They only swelled his rage and pain
And did but work confusion there
His heart was cleft with pain and rage
His cheeks they quivered, his eyes were wild
Dishonored thus in his old age:
Dishonored by his only child."
"And all his hospitality
To the wronged daughter of his friend
By more than woman's jealousy
Brought thus to a disgraceful end...
He rolled his eye with stern regard
Upon the gentle minstrel bard
And said in tones abrupt, austere...
'Why Bracy! Dost thou loiter here?!
I bade thee hence!' The bard obeyed
And turning from his own sweet maid
The aged knight, Sir Leoline
Led forth the lady Geraldine!"