The cold earth slept below; br Above the cold sky shone; br And all around, br With a chilling sound, br From caves of ice and fields of snow br The breath of night like death did flow br Beneath the sinking moon. br br The wintry hedge was black; br The green grass was not seen; br The birds did rest br On the bare thorn's breast, br Whose roots, beside the pathway track, br Had bound their folds o'er many a crack br Which the frost had made between. br br Thine eyes glow'd in the glare br Of the moon's dying light; br As a fen-fire's beam br On a sluggish stream br Gleams dimly--so the moon shone there, br And it yellow'd the strings of thy tangled hair, br That shook in the wind of night. br br The moon made thy lips pale, belov{`e}d; br The wind made thy bosom chill; br The night did shed br On thy dear head br Its frozen dew, and thou didst lie br Where the bitter breath of the naked sky br Might visit thee at will.