In the greenest of our valleys,
By good angels tenanted,
Once a fair and stately palace - Snow-white 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 winged odor went away.
Wanderers in that happy valley
Through two luminous windows saw
Spirits moving musically
To a lute's well-tuned law,
Round about a throne, where sitting (Porphyrogene!)
In state his glory well befitting,
The sovereign 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 rapid ghastly river,
Through the pale door,
A hideous throng rush out forever,
And laugh
but smile no more.
[Edgar Allan Poe - Fall of the House of Usher]
Would be glad to once again hear the clash of good steel, and see the glint of sun upon fair lands to me held dear. But a place, a time, one does need. If face to face, we'll strike this deed.
[Edit: Posted a bit too quick the first time.]
[ March 13, 2004, 19:04: Message edited by: Wauthan ]
Ligeia - D2 v2.08 PBEM with RPG elements
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Linear Mode
