VILLANELLE

Her beauty haunts me everywhere —

A lone lark singing as it flies —

Sweet, O sweet beyond compare.

Amber and gold meet in her hair,

Dark pools and starlight in her eyes;

Her beauty haunts me everywhere.

Slim body, petal soft and fair,

Cool lips, cool, cool as evening skies —

Sweet, O sweet beyond compare.

Pale fingers delicate and rare,

To lull and lure caressing-wise;

Her beauty haunts me everywhere.

Here in my dungeon dim and bare

The last frail not of music dies —

Sweet, O sweet beyond compare.

My heart? I steeled it not to care....

But God! her love is paradise!

Her beauty haunts me everywhere,

O sweet, sweet, sweet beyond compare!