TWO AT THE CROSSROADS

by: Stephen Vincent Benét (1898-1943)

he knight of battered and unblazoned arms

Reined up before the haster from the South

Whose red shield bore the crookt beast Glatysaunt,

(Also a scroll with "Pray for me!" entwined

With flowers and poison-leaves and Iseult's name)

And cried "Where lies the sea-road?"; but the other

Seeming as mad as his own crest, replied

"Has the beast quested past you? have its dogs

Given sharp tongue along these drooping woods?

For I must follow them until I fall

Dead in come cleft of rock, and let the crabs

Hack at my armor till the Judgement Day!"

The first--"Whence come you, and for what your quest?"

"Palomides am I from Camelot,

Wretched Palomides whom dreams torment

Forever--of a cold proud little head,

A friendly hand that gives me the same love

It would to a familiar dog, a body

For which Sir Tristram and King Mark contend,

Wolves over a spilled bone ... and yet this name,

This "Iseult" is a good thing for the sword,

And makes it cut through many helms and makes

Death very visible to heathen men ...

... And I could sit with her on a green cliff

And watch the world die--if she were but tired

And soon would rest her head against my heart;

Not caring for the roughness of my mail

Not aught at all save that I held her close

And she and her child's love at last had peace ...

So, Lord, what need were Heaven, Hell or quest?

No! I must follow winter! She will be

Doubtless betrayed and hurt--and I not there

To comfort her in any measure--well

Pray God some ax beat through my warding soon!--

I beg your grace, sir Knight--my dreams--you said?--




"I heard the quarrel and loud noise of hounds

More to the westward, by a little inn

That's badged with a dry bush."

"I must ride on!

Your road lies thither!"

Like a pawing storm

His horse beat down the valley and was gone

The stranger's face within the vizor wore

The look of one who, having had a gem

Some twelvemonth, finds it out of fashion, dulled

By others' praise perhaps--at any rate

Its turn gone past--a new stone to be found,

New tiger-hues ...

Palomides was far.

And, settling well his harp upon his back,

With something of amusement in his mouth,

Tristram rode southward to the Breton ships.

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