Loreena Mckennit The Lady Of Shalott Lyrics

The Lady Of Shalott Lyrics

On either side of the river lie 



Long fields of barley and of rye, 



That clothe the world and meet the sky; 



And thro' the field the road run by 







To many-towered Camelot; 







And up and down the people go, 



Gazing where the lilies blow 



Round an island there below, 



The island of Shalott. 







Willows whiten, aspens quiver, 



Little breezes dusk and shiver 



Thro' the wave that runs for ever 



By the island in the river 







Flowing down to Camelot. 







Four grey walls, and four grey towers, 



Overlook a space of flowers, 



And the silent isle imbowers 



The Lady of Shalott. 







Only reapers, reaping early, 



In among the bearded barley 



Hear a song that echoes cheerly 



From the river winding clearly 







Down to tower'd Camelot; 







And by the moon the reaper weary, 



Piling sheaves in uplands airy, 



Listening, whispers "'tis the fairy 



The Lady of Shalott." 







There she weaves by night and day 



A magic web with colours gay, 



She has heard a whisper say, 



A curse is on her if she stay 







To look down to Camelot. 







She knows not what the curse may be, 



And so she weaveth steadily, 



And little other care hath she, 



The Lady of Shalott. 







And moving through a mirror clear 



That hangs before her all the year, 



Shadows of the world appear. 



There she sees the highway near 







Winding down to Camelot; 







And sometimes thro' the mirror blue 



The Knights come riding two and two. 



She hath no loyal Knight and true, 



The Lady Of Shalott. 







But in her web she still delights 



To weave the mirror's magic sights, 



For often thro' the silent nights 



A funeral, with plumes and lights 







And music, went to Camelot; 







Or when the Moon was overhead, 



Came two young lovers lately wed. 



"I am half sick of shadows," said 



The Lady Of Shalott. 







A bow-shot from her bower-eaves, 



He rode between the barley sheaves, 



The sun came dazzling thro' the leaves, 



And flamed upon the brazen greaves 







Of bold Sir Lancelot. 







A red-cross knight for ever kneel'd 



To a lady in his shield, 



That sparkled on the yellow field, 



Beside remote Shalott. 







His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd; 



On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode; 



From underneath his helmet flow'd 



His coal-black curls as on he rode, 







As he rode back to Camelot. 







From the bank and from the river 



he flashed into the crystal mirror, 



"Tirra Lirra," by the river 



Sang Sir Lancelot. 







She left the web, she left the loom, 



She made three paces taro' the room, 



She saw the water-lily bloom, 



She saw the helmet and the plume, 







She looked down to Camelot. 







Out flew the web and floated wide; 



The mirror cracked from side to side; 



"The curse is come upon me," cried 



The Lady of Shalott. 







In the stormy east-wind straining, 



The pale yellow woods were waning, 



The broad stream in his banks complaining. 



Heavily the low sky raining 







Over towered Camelot; 







Down she came and found a boat 



Beneath a willow left afloat, 



And round about the prow she wrote 



The Lady of Shalott 







And down the river's dim expanse 



Like some bold seer in a trance, 



Seeing all his own mischance - 



With a glassy countenance 







Did she look to Camelot. 







And at the closing of the day 



She loosed the chain and down she lay; 



The broad stream bore her far away, 



The Lady of Shalott. 







Heard a carol, mournful, holy, 



Chanted loudly, chanted lowly, 



Till her blood was frozen slowly, 



And her eyes were darkened wholly, 







Turn'd to towered Camelot. 







For ere she reach'd upon the tide 



The first house by the water-side, 



Singing in her song she died, 



The Lady of Shalott. 







Under tower and balcony, 



By garden-wall and gallery, 



A gleaming shape she floated by, 



Dead-pale between the houses high, 







Silent into Camelot. 







Out upon the wharfs they came, 



Knight and Burgher, Lord and Dame, 



And round the prow they read her name, 



The Lady of Shalott. 







Who is this? And what is here? 



And in the lighted palace near 



Died the sound of royal cheer; 



And they crossed themselves for fear, 







All the Knights at Camelot; 







But Lancelot mused a little space 



He said, "She has a lovely face; 



God in his mercy lend her grace, 



The Lady of Shalott."