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The King and the Bard Lyrics by Sallie Bridges

Marble Isle, Legends of the Round Table, and Other Poems

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"Come, sing us a lay!" quoth Arthur,
"My Bard of the Table Round!
Some ballad of lofty courage,
That shall make our heart's-blood bound!"
And the monarch drain'd his goblet,
While the minstrel tuned his lyre,
And fill'd it again, that the singer
Might win from wine new fire.
"Now drink," said the generous sovereign,
"That, when thy song shall be o'er,
We may fill with bright gold pieces
And hand thee the cup once more."
But the minstrel's voice was silent,
And the ruby wine undrain'd,
While Arthur, impatient, wondered
Why the guerdon was not gain'd.
The bard from his seat rose slowly,
And spoke to the waiting king:
"Sire, to-day my soul is tuneless,
And no worthy lay can sing.
Not e'en or your tempting liquor,
Not e'en for your promised gold,
Will my inner voice yield music;
For true song cannot be sold!
"But when fitting words can utter
Dreams that stir my own deep heart,
In thine shall the chords re-echo,
Till it feels of mine a part.
Not till inspiration smiteth
On the rock of silent Thought,
Can be welcome living waters
To the king or people brought!"
"Thou art right!" the sovereign answer'd;
"'Tis a lesson nobly told:
Monarchs cannot rule men's spirits
By the might of law or gold!
Thou art first of all my minstrels,
Thou art best of Britain's boast;
But take now my brimming goblet,
And quaff it to Arthur's toast.
"Drink, gallant knights, to the minstrel
Who dreads neither prince nor peer, --
Who can speak the truth to power,
Nor flatters for price or fear, --
To the bard who freely renders
The gift he has been given,
And sings but when his strain exalts
His hearers nigher heaven!"
Credits
Sallie Bridges

Sallie Bridges

About “The King and the Bard” by Sallie Bridges

Read the complete lyrics to "The King and the Bard" by Sallie Bridges from the album "Marble Isle, Legends of the Round Table, and Other Poems". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"The King and the Bard" is performed by Sallie Bridges. from the album "Marble Isle, Legends of the Round Table, and Other Poems" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The King and the Bard", explore more songs by Sallie Bridges using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"The King and the Bard" is credited to Sallie Bridges. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The King and the Bard" appears on "Marble Isle, Legends of the Round Table, and Other Poems".

Visit the Sallie Bridges artist page at /artist/sallie-bridges for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.