There once was a woman
A fine lady was she,
Who did care for her land
And people,
Her eyes were bright as gems,
And her skin, pale as milk,
The hair cascading down her back,
Was brown and shot with gold,
All who saw her loved her,
For a beauty, yes, was she,
And all who knew her loved her still
For no kinder woman there be
Than the Lady of Shalott
Alas, one cold winters night
A rich man came to her home,
“Let me in dear Lady” he said
As he pounded on the doors,
“What is it you want? ” the lady asked,
A curious one was she,
“For us to be wed, ” the man replied
“On the morrow, ” Continued he,
The Lady did not wish it,
She hid herself in her tower,
For she was in love with another
The daring Lancelot,
He came again, that rude, rich man,
A count of a land far away,
But the lady had given orders
For no one to let him in,
“Open the castle doors! ” He cried
“Open them up I say!
“Or everyone that lives here,
“Will rue this dreadful day! ”
Because he received no reply,
Nothing, not a sound,
The rich man went to find someone
To help him keep his word,
Many years he spent searching,
Until one day in the marketplace
A magician was showing her trade
His plan was to make it so
She could never again see flowers grow,
Or the farmers seed being sown,
But live her life alone,
The woman from the market place
Did eagerly accept
To help him in his master plan,
For bitter of heart was she,
And glad to hurt the lady of Shalott
The entire town had forgotten the curse
For it was years ago,
Until one fine morning, the trees seemed to whisper
A warning full of fear
His horse was fine,
His clothes were rich,
A wealthy man
Was he
But the look on his face
Was sour as grapes
And it matched his mind and heart
Once again he rode to her door,
Entering without her leave
He placed a witch-spell on her loom
And left without a sound
When the lady returned,
What horror met her eyes!
All her servants and friends had gone
Along with the door behind her,
She went to her room,
Saw the spell on the loom,
“No! ” She cried,
“It cannot be! ”
An evil voice echoed
‘Round the room,
“Because you refused to live with me,
“You’ll live by yourself for eternity”
The lady sobbed
And fell to the floor,
“If you love me you’ll let me be free,
“Even if the one I choose isn’t thee! ”
“WHAT HAVE I DONE? ” the man cried
From his castle in Camelot,
But it was too late, the damage was done
And could not be reversed by him,
The man, pained by what he’d done
Went down to the river,
He yelled out “Only the one you love can save you, ”
And jumped into the water,
His cry travelled over fields of rye,
And over fields of barley,
It drifted in through the lady’s window
And once again his voice echoed
In the tower of Shalott
The lady heard
And ceased to sob,
For she had faith in the one she loved,
The handsome, daring Lancelot,
So there she sits
Cursed forever
To watch the world
Through her mirror
Unless someone comes
With his heart full of love
Seeking to free her,
The Lady of Shalott
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem