Once I was as you are now;

I sang and danced and smiled.

But now I have become undone,

a restless wand'ring child;

there is no breath of faith or hope

or joy upon my lips,

nor any warmth of love (or life)

in my chill fingertips -

for once I went – o! Long ago -

to spin within a glade

(of faery moss and chiming bells

and starlight it was made)

but from the night the stars came down

and landed in that glade,

and danced before my dazzled eyes

in moonlight and in shade;

(flowing flashing flames of hair

as white as any snow

that blew about the silver curves

of neck and back and brow,

a slender whipping tufted tail

that lashed and to and fro,

and rising spiral into night

from that white-gleaming brow

a horn that pierced eternity

and danced with faery-light

so that the glade was fair and green

when all should have been dark,

and music rang within it

sweeter than a summer's lark...)

And when it left I could not move

save for to weep and moan,

for in my heart the seeds of wonder

had been deeply sown,

and now that it had gone again

my soul was left to sigh

and I became a wandering lonely

thing where ravens cry...

(But once I was as you are now,

and 'tis no fault of mine

that now I must forever seek

that white unearthly shine.)