Love's Vision

TRANSPORTED out of self by Youth's sweet madness, Emulous of love, to Love's empyrean height, Where I beheld you aureoled in light, My soul upsprang on wings of angel-gladness. Far, far below, the earth and all earth's badness-- A speck of dust--slipped darkling into night, As suns of fairer planets flamed in sight, Pure orbs or bliss unstained by gloom or sadness. Lo, as I soared etherially on high, You vanished, from my swimming eyes aloof, Alone, alone, within the empty sky, I reached out giddily, and reeling fell From starriest heaven, to plunge in lowest hell, My proud heart broken on Earth's humblest roof.