'O WHAT can ail¹ thee knight-at-arms

    Alone and palely loitering？

    The sedge is wither'd from the lake

    And no birds sing.

    'O what can ail thee knight-at-arms

    So haggard and so woe²-begone？

    The squirrel's granary is full

    And the harvest 's done.

    'I see a lily on thy brow

    With anguish³ moist and fever dew；

    And on thy cheeks a fading rose

    Fast withereth too.'

    'I met a lady in the meads

    Full beautiful—a faery's child

    Her hair was long her foot was light

    And her eyes were wild.

    'I made a garland for her head

    And bracelets⁴ too and fragrant⁵ zone；

    She look'd at me as she did love

    And made sweet moan. 20

    'I set her on my pacing steed

    And nothing else saw all day long

    For sideways would she lean and sing

    A faery's song.

    'She found me roots of relish⁶ sweet

    And honey wild and manna dew

    And sure in language strange she said

    I love thee true！

    'She took me to her elfin grot

    And there she wept and sigh'd fill sore；

    And there I shut her wild wild eyes

    With kisses four.

    'And there she lullèd me asleep

    And there I dream'd—Ah！ woe betide！

    The latest dream I ever dream'd

    On the cold hill's side.

    'I saw pale kings and princes too

    Pale warriors⁷ death-pale were they all；

    They cried—"La belle⁸ Dame⁹ sans Merci

    Hath thee in thrall¹⁰！"

    'I saw their starved lips in the gloam

    With horrid¹¹ warning gapèd wide

    And I awoke and found me here

    On the cold hill's side.

    'And this is why I sojourn¹² here

    Alone and palely loitering

    Though the sedge is wither'd from the lake

    And no birds sing.'

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