The Sleeper

At midnight in the month of june

I stand beneath the mystic moon

An opiate vapor dewy dim

Exhales from out her golden rim

And softly dripping drop by drop

Upon the quiet mountain top

Steals drowsily and musically

Into the universal valley

The rosemary nods upon the grave

The lily lolls upon the wave

Wrapping the fog about its breast

The ruin molders into rest

Looking like lethe see the lake

A conscious slumber seems to take

And would not for the world awake

And would not for the world awake

All beauty sleeps and lo where lies

All beauty sleeps and lo where lies

O lady bright can it be right

This window open to the night

The wanton airs from the tree top

Laughingly through the lattice drop

The bodiless airs a wizard rout

Flit through thy chamber in and out

And wave the curtain canopy

So fitfully so fearfully

Above the closed and fringed lid

Neath which thy slumb'ring soul lies hid

That o'er the floor and down the wall

Like ghosts the shadows rise and fall

Oh lady dear hast thou no fear

Why and what art thou dreaming here

Sure thou art come o'er far off seas

A wonder to these garden trees

Strange is thy pallor strange thy dress

Strange above all thy length of tress

And this all solemn silentness

The lady sleeps oh may her sleep

Which is enduring so be deep

Soft may the worms about her creep