The Beggar Maid: Lord Tennyson

Her arms across her breast she laid;

She was more fair than words can say;

Bare-footed came the beggar maid

Before the king Cophetua.

In robe and crown the king stept down,

To meet and greet her on her way;

'It is no wonder,' said the lords,

'She is more beautiful than day.'

As shines the moon in clouded skies,

She in her poor attire was seen:

One praised her ankles, one her eyes,

One her dark hair and lovesome mien.

So sweet a face, such angel grace,

In all that land had never been:

Cophetua sware a royal oath:

'This beggar maid shall be my queen!'

Summary: In this poem, ‘The Beggar Maid’, the poet Lord Tennyson describes about the love of the king Cophetua for the beggar maid. When the beggar maid came before the king Cophetua, she was bare-footed and she set down her arms across her breast. She looked so beautiful. Her beauty cannot be expressed by the words. King Cophetua was very much attracted to the beggar maid. He left the palace in robe and crown to meet and greet her on her way. When the moon shines in clouded skies, she was seen in her poor attire. Her ankles, eyes, dark hair and lovely face were praised by others. Such a sweet face which had angel grace had never been in that land. King Cophetua had a royal oath that he will have the beggar maid as his wife, the queen.