Part 2 — AT HER WINDOW
Reading edition
Ah, Minstrel, how strange is The carol you sing! Let Psyche, who ranges The garden of spring, Remember the changes December will bring.
Beating Heart! we come again Where my Love reposes: This is Mabel's window-pane; These are Mabel's roses.
Is she nested? Does she kneel In the twilight stilly, Lily clad from throat to heel, She, my virgin Lily?
Soon the wan, the wistful stars, Fading, will forsake her; Elves of light, on beamy bars, Whisper then, and wake her.
Let this friendly pebble plead At her flowery grating; If she hear me will she heed? Mabel, I am waiting.
Mabel will be decked anon, Zoned in bride's apparel; Happy zone! Oh hark to yon Passion-shaken carol!
Sing thy song, thou tranced thrush, Pipe thy best, thy clearest;— Hush, her lattice moves, oh hush— Dearest Mabel!—dearest....
Frederick Locker-Lampson [1821-1895]