Poems, 1799

A dream‑like vision unfolds in a moon‑streaked night over silent Orléans, where the young maiden of legend drifts through barren moors, mist‑covered lakes and crumbling ruins. Southey’s verses paint the landscape in stark, atmospheric detail—bittern calls, fluttering ravens, and a bleak sky that seems to pulse with an unseen power. As she wanders, the poet weaves a haunting dialogue between the earthly and the divine, inviting listeners to feel the weight of history and the shiver of supernatural foreboding.

The poem’s rich, rhythmic language carries the listener deeper into the maiden’s inner turmoil, balancing awe‑inspiring grandeur with intimate, trembling fear. A spectral guide appears, leading her toward a cryptic, torch‑lit vault that hints at both destiny and dread. This lyrical journey promises an immersive experience, where each line reverberates with the echo of ancient battles and the fragile hope of a soul caught between night and the promise of dawn.