La belle dame sans merci

O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms

So lone and palely loitering?

The sedge hath wither'd from the lake

And no birds sing

O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms

So haggard and so woebegone?

The squirrel's granary is full

And the harvest done

I see a lily on thy brow

With anguish moist and fever dew

And on thy cheeks a fading rose

Fast withereth too

I met a lady in the meads

Full beautifula faery's child

Her hair was long, her foot was light

And her eyes were wild

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

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

She found me roots of relish 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 full sore

And there I shut her wild wild eyes

With kisses four

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

I saw pale kings and princes too,

Pale warriors, death-pale were they all

They cried La belle dame sans merci

Hath thee in thrall!'

I saw their starved lips in the gloom

With horrid warning gaping wide

And I awoke and found me here

On the cold hill's side

And this is why I sojourn here

Alone and palely loitering

Though the sedge is wither'd from the lake

And no birds sing