Peter Hammill - "The Haunted Palace" lyrics

In the greenest of our valleys by good angels tenanted once a fair and stately palace - radiant palace - reared its head. In the monarch, Thought's dominion like a j**el it stood there. Never seraph spread a pinion over fabric half so fair. Wanderers in that happy valley through two luminous windows saw spirits moving musically to a lute's well-tuned law, round about a throne where sitting, side by side with his fair queen, in state his glory well befitting, the ruler of the realm was seen. USHER MONTRESOR Wait! Did you hear it? What was it? It's nothing. What was that distant sound? I say, I heard nothing All with pearl and ruby glowing was the glorious palace door through which came flowing, flowing, flowing and sparkling evermore a troop of echoes, whose sweet duty night and day was but to sing in voices of surpa**ing beauty the wit and wisdom of their king. USHER MONTRESOR No! There's something, I heard it quite clear, a voice crying. It's nothing I say but the wind! You heard the wind, just heard Within the House! the wild wind crying. But evil things, in robes of sorrow a**ailed the monarch's high estate; let us mourn for never morrow dawn upon him, desolate; round about his home the glory that had always blushed and bloomed is but a dim-remembered story of the olden time entombed. USHER MONTRESOR There! Yes, you heard it! There is someone else - There's nothing something else I say, down there! You hear nothing! There's no-one there. It is the storm Are we that you hear. alone here? Travellers now within that valley through red-litten windows see vast forms that move fantastically to a discordant melody while like a rapid, ghastly river through the ever open door a hideous throng rush out forever and laugh - but smile no more! And laugh - but smile no more! And laugh - but smile no more! USHER No! No! No!