[ti:The Haunted Palace]
[ar:Sopor Æternus & the Ensemble of Shadows]
[al:Poetica]
[01:07.50]In the greenest of our valleys
[01:11.79]By good angels tenanted
[01:18.49]Once a fair and stately palace
[01:23.57]Radiant palace, reared its head
[01:30.89]In the monarch thought's dominion
[01:37.94]It stood there
[01:42.71]Never seraph spread a pinion
[01:47.57]Over fabric half so fair.
[02:26.30]Banners yellow, glorious, golden
[02:33.31]On its roof did float and flow,
[02:39.20]This, all this, was in the olden time long ago
[02:50.58]And every gentle air that dallied
[02:57.17]In that sweet day
[03:02.13]Along the ramparts plumed and pallid
[03:09.42]A winged odor went away.
[03:43.98]Wanderers in that happy valley
[03:50.90]Through two luminous windows saw
[03:55.71]Spirits moving musically
[04:01.29]To a lute's well-tuned law
[04:07.75]Round about a throne where sitting
[04:14.47](Porphyrogene!)
[04:19.57]In state his glory well-befitting
[04:26.43]The ruler of the realm was seen.
[05:27.50]And all with pearl and ruby glowing
[05:33.10]Was the fair palace door
[05:38.11]Through which came flowing, flowing, flowing
[05:43.96]And sparkling evermore
[05:49.91]A troop of echoes whose sweet duty
[05:57.10]Was but to sing
[06:03.59]In voices of surpassing beauty
[06:09.53]The wit and wisdom of their king.
[07:10.59]But evil things in robes of sorrow
[07:17.55]Assailed the monarch's high estate
[07:21.73](Ah, let us mourn! for never morrow
[07:27.69]Shall dawn upon his desolate !)
[07:33.96]And round about his home the glory
[07:40.63]That blushed and bloomed
[07:45.14]Is but a dim-remembered story
[07:52.20]Of the old time entombed.
[08:04.80]And travellers, now, within that valley
[08:10.41]Through the red-litten windows see
[08:15.77]Vast forms that move fantastically
[08:22.60]To a discordant melody
[08:27.73]While, like a ghastly rapid river,
[08:34.50]Through the pale door
[08:39.41]A hideous throng rush out forever
[08:46.12]And laugh but smile no more.