The land was overmuch like scenery,

The flowers attentive, the grass to garrulous green;

In the lake like a dropped kerchief could be seen

The lark's reflection after the lark was gone;

The Roman road lay paved too shiningly                    5

For a road so many men had traveled on.

Also the people were strange, were strangely

warm.

The king recalled the father of his guest,

The queen brought mead in a studded cup, the rest

Were kind, but in all was a vagueness and a strain,    10

Because they lived in a land of daily harm.

And they said the same things again and again.

It was a childish country; and a child,

Grown monstrous. So besieged them in the night

That all their daytimes were...