John Keats - La Belle Dame sans Merci lyrics

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John Keats - La Belle Dame sans Merci lyrics

I. O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, Alone and palely loitering? The sedge is withered from the lake, And no birds sing. II. O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, So haggard and so woe-begone? The squirrel's granary is full, And the harvest's done. III. I see a lily on thy brow With anguish moist and fever dew, And on thy cheek a fading rose Fast withereth too. IV. 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. V. I made a garland for her head, And bracelets too, and fragrant zone; She look'd at me as she did love, And made sweet moan. VI. I set her on my pacing steed, And nothing else saw all day long, For sidelong would she bend, and sing A faery's song. VII. She found me roots of relish sweet, And honey wild, and manna dew, And sure in language strange she said-- "I love thee true." VIII. 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. IX. And there she lulled me asleep, And there I dream'd--Ah! woe betide! The latest dream I ever dream'd On the cold hill's side. X. I saw pale kings, and princes too, Pale warriors, d**h-pale were they all; They cried--"La Belle Dame sans Merci Hath thee in thrall!" XI. I saw their starved lips in the gloam With horrid warning gaped wide, And I awoke and found me here On the cold hill's side. XII. And this is why I sojourn here, Alone and palely loitering, Though the sedge is wither'd from the lake, And no birds sing.