The Ballad Of Semmerwater

Here's a poem I've always loved since it was taught in school to me as a child. I could recite this one well, even now. Somehow it just stayed in my mind all these years. It's a fascinating poem by Sir William Watson (1858-1935).

Deep asleep, 

Deep asleep, 
Deep asleep it lies, 

The still lake of Semmerwater 

Under the still skies.

And many a fathom, 

Many a fathom, 
Many a fathom below, 

In a king's tower and a queen's bower 

The fishes come and go.

Once there stood by Semmerwater 

A mickle town and tall; 

King's tower and queen's bower 

And the wakeman on the wall. 

Came a beggar halt and sore: 

"I faint for lack of bread!" 

King's tower and queen's bower 

Cast him forth unfed. 

He knock'd at the door of the eller's cot, 

The eller's cot in the dale. 

They gave him of their oatcake, 

They gave him of their ale. 

He has cursed aloud that city proud, 

He has cursed it in its pride; 

He has cursed it into Semmerwater 

Down the brant hillside; 

He has cursed it into Semmerwater 

There to bide. 

King's tower and queen's bower, 

And a mickle town and tall; 

By glimmer of scale and gleam of fin, 

Folk have seen them all. 

King's tower and queen's bower, 

And weed and reed in the gloom; 

And a lost city in Semmerwater, 

Deep asleep till Doom.