| |
| HARO! Haro! | |
| Judge now betwixt this woman and me, | |
| Haro | |
| She leaves me bond, who found me free. | |
| Of love and hope she hath drained me dry— | 5 |
| Yea, barren as a drought-struck sky; | |
| She hath not left me tears for weeping, | |
| Nor will my eyelids close in sleeping. | |
| I have gathered all my life’s-blood up— | |
| Haro! | 10 |
| She hath drunk and thrown aside the cup. | |
| |
| Shall she not give me back my days? | |
| Haro! | |
| I made them perfect for her praise. | |
| There was no flower in all the brake | 15 |
| I found not fairer for her sake; | |
| There was no sweet thought I did not fashion | |
| For aid and servant to my passion. | |
| Labor and learning worthless were, | |
| Haro! | 20 |
| Save that I made them gifts for her. | |
| |
| Shall she not give me back my nights? | |
| Haro! | |
| Give me sweet sleep for brief delights? | |
| Lo, in the night’s wan mid I lie, | 25 |
| And ghosts of hours that are dead go by,— | |
| Hours of a love that died unshriven; | |
| Of a love in change for my manhood given. | |
| She caressed and slew my soul’s white truth, | |
| Haro! | 30 |
| Shall she not give me back my youth? | |
| |
| Haro! Haro! | |
| Tell thou me not of a greater judge, | |
| Haro! | |
| It is He who hath my sin in grudge. | 35 |
| Yea, from God I appeal to thee; | |
| God hath not part or place for me. | |
| Thou who hast sinned, judge thou my sinning: | |
| I have staked my life for a woman’s winning; | |
| She hath stripped me of all save remembering— | 40 |
| Haro! | |
| Right thou me, right thou me, Harold the King! | |
| |
