Poetry Archives

Eric of Marka holds the knife:
“A nameless death for a nameless life.”—

“Mary of Marka, bid him stay,
And the morrow shall be our wedding-day.”—

“Will the blessing of priest give back my faith,
Or life to the child you left to death?”—

Eric of Marka holds the knife,
And turns to the mother that is no wife:

“Mary of Marka, have your will!
Shall I spare him, or shall I kill?”—

“He wrought me wrong when the days were sweet,
And he’ll get no more but a winding-sheet.”