the wings
Peabody Josephine Preston
-
- EDBURGA: I am Edburga, and the daughter of Ulf.
- My mother was a slave. For she was sold,
- And given in her youth unto Svanfleda,
- Sister of Ulf, -- a just and holy woman;
- Who bought and set her free, for Ulf to wed,--
- And had it written in the gospel-book,--
- When that his heart clave to her. That, O monk,
- Thou canst but hear, not heed! And I was grown,
- When Ulf came to be made an ealdorman.
- And Bertric would have taken me to wife,
- Save that I came before the eyes of Ælfric
- The King; and so...
- --What are you, men and monks,
- That you may give us unto such an one
- To bind your lands together? Or to bring
- The sum of twenty spears or more, to follow
- You, at the man-hunt? Women bring you forth,
- As Darkness cherishes the doomful light
- Of the Sun, that being grown, shakes his bright locks
- And puts all to the sword! I'll not be given
- To Bertric, would that Bertric have me now:--
- I, a free-woman, and gladlier free,
- That being yet unborn, I was a slave!
- I am a creature rooted in the dark,
- But born to sunlight and the noble air.
- I will to give; and I will not be given.
- I fear not right nor left, nor east, nor west;
- Nor thee! For that I have is all mine own
- To give or keep. And I am all I have.
- And I am Ælfric's, -- for a kingly gift.
