A gay young knight in Burley stood, <br />Beside him pawed his steed so good, <br />His hands he wrung as he were wood <br />With waiting for his love O! <br /> <br />'Oh, will she come, or will she stay, <br />Or will she waste the weary day <br />With fools who wish her far away, <br />And hate her for her love O?' <br /> <br />But by there came a mighty boar, <br />His jowl and tushes red with gore, <br />And on his curled snout he bore <br />A bracelet rich and rare O! <br /> <br />The knight he shrieked, he ran, he flew, <br />He searched the wild wood through and through, <br />But found nought save a mantle blue, <br />Low rolled within the brake O! <br /> <br />He twined the wild briar, red and white, <br />Upon his head the garland dight, <br />The green leaves withered black as night, <br />And burnt into his brain O! <br /> <br />A fire blazed up within his breast, <br />He mounted on an aimless quest, <br />He laid his virgin lance in rest, <br />And through the forest drove O! <br /> <br />By Rhinefield and by Osmondsleigh, <br />Through leat and furze brake fast drove he, <br />Until he saw the homeless sea, <br />That called with all its waves O! <br /> <br />He laughed aloud to hear the roar, <br />And rushed his horse adown the shore, <br />The deep surge rolled him o'er and o'er, <br />And swept him down the tide O! <br /> <br /> <br />New Forest, July 12, 1847.<br /><br />Charles Kingsley<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-young-knight-a-parable/
