Fair Cupid Poem by Emmanuel George Cefai

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!