Famous Gawain Poems by Famous Poets

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...and born before his time, 
Or whether there were truth in anything 
Said by these three, there came to Cameliard, 
With Gawain and young Modred, her two sons, 
Lot's wife, the Queen of Orkney, Bellicent; 
Whom as he could, not as he would, the King 
Made feast for, saying, as they sat at meat, 

`A doubtful throne is ice on summer seas. 
Ye come from Arthur's court. Victor his men 
Report him! Yea, but ye--think ye this king-- 
So many those that hate him, and so strong, 
So ...Read more of this...

...
Down upon all things base, and dash them dead, 
A knight of Arthur, working out his will, 
To cleanse the world. Why, Gawain, when he came 
With Modred hither in the summertime, 
Asked me to tilt with him, the proven knight. 
Modred for want of worthier was the judge. 
Then I so shook him in the saddle, he said, 
"Thou hast half prevailed against me," said so--he-- 
Though Modred biting his thin lips was mute, 
For he is alway sullen: what care I?' 

And Gareth went, and ho...Read more of this...

...THEN the sege and the assaut watz sesed at Troye,
The borygh brittened and brent to brondeygh and askez,
The tulk that the trammes of tresoun ther wroyght
Watz tried for his tricherie, the trewest on erthe:
Hit watz Ennias the athel, and his highe kynde,
That sithen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome
Welneyghe of al the wele in the west iles.
F...Read more of this...

...Dagonet, the fool, whom Gawain in his mood
Had made mock-knight of Arthur's Table Round,
At Camelot, high above the yellowing woods,
Danced like a wither'd leaf before the hall.
And toward him from the hall, with harp in hand,
And from the crown thereof a carcanet
Of ruby swaying to and fro, the prize
Of Tristram in the jousts of yesterday,
Came Tristram, saying, "Why skip ye so, S...Read more of this...

...God my Christ--I pass but shall not die."

Then, ere that last weird battle in the west,
There came on Arthur sleeping, Gawain kill'd
In Lancelot's war, the ghost of Gawain blown
Along a wandering wind, and past his ear
Went shrilling, "Hollow, hollow all delight!
Hail, King! to-morrow thou shalt pass away.
Farewell! there is an isle of rest for thee.
And I am blown along a wandering wind,
And hollow, hollow, hollow all delight."
And fainter onward, like wild birds that chang...Read more of this...

...de
Cropped the sweet grass: but little care
Had these of guile or giant's lair,
And scarce a foot before the Queen
Rode Gawain o'er the daisied green
To see what man his pleasure took;
Who rose up in meanwhile and shook
His tangled hair aback, as one
Who e'en but now his sleep hath done.
Rough-head and yellow-haired was he
Great-eyed, as folk have told to me,
And big and stout enow of limb:
As one who thinks no harm he smiled,
And cried out: "Well met in the wild,
Fair King a...Read more of this...

...may be ye shall slay him in his bonds.' 

She spake; and at her will they couched their spears, 
Three against one: and Gawain passing by, 
Bound upon solitary adventure, saw 
Low down beneath the shadow of those towers 
A villainy, three to one: and through his heart 
The fire of honour and all noble deeds 
Flashed, and he called, `I strike upon thy side-- 
The caitiffs!' `Nay,' said Pelleas, `but forbear; 
He needs no aid who doth his lady's will.' 

So Gawain, looking at t...Read more of this...

...sware the vow, 
And good Sir Bors, our Lancelot's cousin, sware, 
And Lancelot sware, and many among the knights, 
And Gawain sware, and louder than the rest.' 

Then spake the monk Ambrosius, asking him, 
`What said the King? Did Arthur take the vow?' 

`Nay, for my lord,' said Percivale, `the King, 
Was not in hall: for early that same day, 
Scaped through a cavern from a bandit hold, 
An outraged maiden sprang into the hall 
Crying on help: for all her shining hair 
Was s...Read more of this...

...Dagonet, the fool, whom Gawain in his mood 
Had made mock-knight of Arthur's Table Round, 
At Camelot, high above the yellowing woods, 
Danced like a withered leaf before the hall. 
And toward him from the hall, with harp in hand, 
And from the crown thereof a carcanet 
Of ruby swaying to and fro, the prize 
Of Tristram in the jousts of yesterday, 
Came Tristram, saying, `Why skip ...Read more of this...

...d my Christ--I pass but shall not die.' 

Then, ere that last weird battle in the west, 
There came on Arthur sleeping, Gawain killed 
In Lancelot's war, the ghost of Gawain blown 
Along a wandering wind, and past his ear 
Went shrilling, 'Hollow, hollow all delight! 
Hail, King! tomorrow thou shalt pass away. 
Farewell! there is an isle of rest for thee. 
And I am blown along a wandering wind, 
And hollow, hollow, hollow all delight.' 
And fainter onward, like wild birds tha...Read more of this...

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