Outside the castle’s wall
by cricketjeff on April 14, 2009. © Jeff Green, All rights reserved
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The castle walls confine her to a tapestry of dreams
Reflections of the life that passes by
She weaves the lives of strangers into sweet romantic schemes
An evil curse decrees she cannot fly
The world outside is mirrored by the glass upon the wall
She’ll never see reality before the heavens fall
The road that leads to Arthur lies outside the castle gate
And all his knights are stitched within her web
She doesn’t see the faces of the farmers or the great
The tide outside that seems to flow and ebb
The life she craves is passing just outside her castle wall
But cursed to never see it unless mighty boulders fall
Her dreams are interrupted by the echoes of a song
A voice that wraps her soul in silken bands
A breeze conducts the magic as the owner rides along
The tapestry is flowing from her hands
She has to know the singer who has breached her castle wall
The majesty of music has decreed that she will fall
Unbidden by her consciousness she weaves the singer’s path
She’ll follow on the way to Camelot
Ignoring all the warnings of the dreadful aftermath
She has to find the voice of Lancelot
She hurries to the river that’s outside the outer wall
The boat will bear its mistress though her dreadful fate will fall
No oars dip in the water and there isn’t any sail
The boat is drawn towards her fatal plot
She writes her name beside her as she feels her breathing fail
It simply reads “The lady of Shalott”
She touches land where Lancelot is standing on the wall
Who sighs to see a beauty that was doomed to such a fall.
Author notes
“I am half-sick of shadows, said the Lady of Shalott”
by John William Waterhouse
English