Ambergris

36 AMBERGRIS A queen is my lover, I say, With a crown of the lilies of light— For a maiden they crowned her in May, For the Queen of the Daughters of Day That are flowers of the forest of Night. They crowned her with lilies and blue, They crowned her with yellow and roses ; They gave her a sceptre of rue, And a girdle of laurel and yew, And a basket of pansies in posies. They led her with songs by the stream ; They brought her with tears to the river ; They danced as the maze of a dream ; They kissed her to roses and cream, And they cried, Let the queen live for ever ! They took her, with all of the flowers They had girded her with for God’s daughter ; They cast her from amorous bowers To the river, the horrible powers Of the Beast that lurks down by the Water ! My way was more swift than a bow That flings out its barb to the night : My sword struck the infinite blow That smote him, and blackened the flow Of the amorous river of light. I plunged in the stream, and I drew My queen from the clasp of the water ; I crowned her with roses and blue, With yellow and lilies anew ; I called her my love and God’s daughter ! I gave her a sceptre of may ; I gave her a girdle of green ; I drew her to music and day ;