Three times the knock it came to me <br />and opening up the door <br />I saw no person standing there <br />for help or succour plea. <br /> <br />I sat back down to lift the book <br />and Donne his Epicedes, <br />beside the embers I had sat, <br />three times again the sound. <br /> <br />My heart it stilled, <br />my mind it froze, <br />for no wind blew the cottage sky, <br />alone but lit by moon. <br /> <br />The sound again did slowly make, <br />was someone dead or gone? <br />for I with book and embers stood <br />afraid and now alone. <br /> <br />I moved and to the knock at once, <br />a soul upon my door, <br />for only wood could make that sound, <br />that I could hear again. <br /> <br />I slowly lifted up the latch, <br />and fearly opened up, <br />the door it let the ember glow <br />outside into the path. <br /> <br />I looked to see into the dark, <br />and there an Angel girl, <br />of long black hair, <br />and handsome form <br />did stand and beckon on. <br /> <br />Out into forest I was brought, <br />with hand and heart entwined. <br />We danced by pines, <br />and kissed by stars, <br />a garland she did make. <br /> <br />And oh! what night of reveries, <br />and oh! what night of care, <br />my youth returned again to make, <br />our love upon the carpet moss <br />alone lit by the moon. <br /> <br />And when awoke, I saw was gone, <br />the angel girl and joy, <br />I thought that I had dreamed <br />the scene beneath the single star. <br />But standing up I made my way <br />the cottage open door, <br />the fireside chair alone it kept <br />the poems for resting there. <br /> <br />And in the morning by the sun, <br />a light on pathway shone. <br />A garland made of pines and cones <br />lay there upon the step. <br /> <br />Let us not laugh at reveries <br />of love the heart can make, <br />the angel girl, she beckons <br />on to mossy carpet heart, <br />as lit by forest moon.<br /><br />Bernard Kennedy<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-night-visitor-2/
