The Haunted Palace

In the greenest of our valleys
By good angels tenanted
Once a fair and stately palace
Radiant palace—reared its head
In the monarch Thought's dominion
It stood there!
Never seraph spread a pinion
Over fabric half so fair!

Banners yellow, glorious, golden
On its roof did float and flow
(This—all this—was in the olden
Time long ago)
And every gentle air that dallied
In that sweet day
Along the ramparts plumed and pallid
A wingèd odor went away.

Wanderers in that happy valley
Through two luminous windows, saw
Spirits moving musically
To a lute's well-tunèd law
Round about a throne where, sitting
Porphyrogene!
In state his glory well befitting
The ruler of the realm was seen.

And all with pearl and ruby glowing
Was the fair palace door
Through which came flowing, flowing, flowing
And sparkling evermore
A troop of Echoes, whose sweet duty
Was but to sing
In voices of surpassing beauty
The wit and wisdom of their king.

But evil things, in robes of sorrow
Assailed the monarch's high estate
(Ah, let us mourn!—for never morrow
Shall dawn upon him, desolate!)
And round about his home the glory
That blushed and bloomed
Is but a dim-remembered story
Of the old time entombed.

And travellers, now, within that valley
Through the red-litten windows see
Vast forms that move fantastically
To a discordant melody
While, like a ghastly rapid river
Through the pale door
A hideous throng rush out forever
And laugh—but smile no more.