Robbins Library Digital Projects Announcement: We are currently working on a large-scale migration of the Robbins Library Digital Projects to a new platform. This migration affects The Camelot Project, The Robin Hood Project, The Crusades Project, The Cinderella Bibliography, and Visualizing Chaucer.

While these resources will remain accessible during the course of migration, they will be static, with reduced functionality. They will not be updated during this time. We anticipate the migration project to be complete by Summer 2025. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us directly at robbins@ur.rochester.edu. We appreciate your understanding and patience.
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When Tristan Sailed

When Tristan sailed from Ireland
    Across the summer sea,
How young he was, how debonnaire,
    How glad he was and free.
Why should he know the gales would blow,
    The skies be black above,
How should he dream his port was Death,
    And Doom, whose name is Love?

The Lady Iseult, sweet as prayer,
    We hardly dare to pray,
Pearl-pale beneath her shadow hair,
    Grows fairer day by day,
The ichor gains her spring-kissed veins,
    Her skies the eyes of youth.
How should she dream the ichor Love,
    Was hellebore in truth?

So Tristan sailed from Ireland
    As youth must always sail;
He quaffed the cup, nor asked the wine;
    He dared, nor feared to fail.
And be it poison, be it life,
    Or wrecks that strew the shore,
Tristan set forth! nor ask the end,
    Else youth shall sail no more.