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 of bliss unstained by gloom or sadness.
Lo, as I soared ethereally 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.