I dreamt that I was dreaming br And in my dream beheld br A knight in fading armour br His name from me withheld. br Relentlessly the tolling br Did saturate the air, br And filled the empty graveyard... br The one with no-one there. br br His sword within his scabbard br Still sharp and virgin clean, br I wondered if to battle br This knight had ever been? br No blood upon the countenance br Beneath the iron hood; br No answer to my question, br The mystery still stood. br br Of toil and sad confusion br And hatred and disgrace br He told me, then I looked again br And thought I knew his face; br I felt I recognised the voice br That whispered soft as mute: br 'A song will be our epitaph, br Sung sweetly on the lute.' br br The vision turned and made to leave, br I asked him not to go, br He drew a little closer saying: br 'Do you wish to know? br The timer drawn of molten glass br Is running out of sand; br This dream within another br You will never understand.' br br His life was nearly finished br And so, I thought, my dream, br I turned away and over br To try my sleep redeem; br Then dreamt that I had woken br Still puzzled by the knight, br Then woke again to find that br I, like he, had lost the fight.