O STAY, Madonna! stay; br 'Tis not the dawn of day br That marks the skies with yonder opal streak: br The stars in silence shine; br Then press thy lips to mine, br And rest upon my neck thy fervid cheek. br br O sleep, Madonna! sleep; br Leave me to watch and weep br O'er the sad memory of departed joys, br O'er hope's extinguished beam, br O'er fancy's vanished dream; br O'er all that nature gives and man destroys. br br O wake, Madonna! wake; br Even now the purple lake br Is dappled o'er with amber flakes of light; br A glow is on the hill; br And every trickling rill br In golden threads leaps down from yonder height. br br O fly, Madonna! fly, br Lest day and envy spy br What only love and night may safely know: br Fly, and tread softly, dear! br Lest those who hate us hear br The sounds of thy light footsteps as they go.