Return to Page 1  Alfred Tennyson, 1809-1892  "The Lady of
Shalott" from Poems (London: Moxon, 1833 [1832]).  ON either
side the river lie Long fields of barley and of rye, That clothe
the world and meet the sky. And thro' the field the road runs by
To manytowered Camelot. The yellowleavèd waterlily, The
greensheathèd daffodilly, Tremble in the water chilly, Round
about Shalott. Willows whiten, aspens shiver, 10 The sunbeam-
showers break and quiver In the stream that runneth ever By the
island in the river, Flowing down to Camelot. Four gray walls,
and four gray towers Overlook a space of flowers, And the silent
isle imbowers The Lady of Shalott. Underneath the bearded
barley, The reaper, reaping late and early, 20 Hears her ever
chanting cheerly, Like an angel, singing clearly, O'er the
stream of Camelot. Piling the sheaves in furrows airy, Beneath
the moon, the reaper weary Listening whispers, "'tis the fairy,
Lady of Shalott." The little isle is all inrailed With a rose-
fence, and overtrailed With roses: b