Fair Cupid

i. Fair Cupid lay asleep awhile outside The frost against the panes swept and roared: And icicles from the windows dripped and fell Froze was the water on the shining lake And silent stood the lonely nightingale. ii. A taper white in the dark night glimmered And against the walls it flickered and wavered Awhile the fair boy Cupid dreamt and slept: The wild, wild wind against the houses raced And icicles from the windows dripped and fell Froze was the water on the shining lake And silent stood the lonely nightingale. iii. Anon, anon along the corridor swift steps Were in the storm to shuffle slow full heard And midst the dark walls a bright light Burst on the secret alcoves and ancient walls The wild, wild wind against the houses raced And the Muse in her glory entered where Fair Cupid on the marble dreamt and slept. iv. She viewed the fair boy with her shiny eyes And for a moment stood by all entranced At all the marble beauty of his skin His flock of hair and white toga and his grace Made her enamored every second passed Till she bent down and kissed - yes kissed The temples warm where coursed the wild blood Like rein less horses into the dark night. v. She then withdrew and into a mist of blue Evaporated - such the power That Jove hath given to the Muse; The while translucent in the wavering flames Of torches burning on the castle-walls She herself removed from sight and yet she stayed. And with attentive eye upon him looked To see the workings of her magic spell. vi. Seconds passed and then with tremulous eye The fair young king of love his eyes did open And in each eye as in a lake of love Paradise seemed to lie beneath the moon That shines its friendly light when dark begins: And sweet sings the homely nightingale. vii. The winds of sudden ceased and stopped Gone was the frost and cold and in the night Drew its thin veils and from underneath did spring The first grey light of the new-coming Dawn As she with stately pace like statue moved Across the lawn with dews and waters decked. viii. How time flies - tis the Spring And there is joy in everything Away the frost; entomb the cruel cold: The birds fly on the wing This lusty Spring! ix. And Cupid wakened from his winter sleep Now in his quivers glees and shoots And makes conquests: ‘Tis the Spring And there is joy in everything!