Flying between the cold moon and the earth,

Cupid all arm’d; a certain aim he took

At a fair vestal throned in the west.

And loosed his love-shaft smartly from his bow,

As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts.

But I might see young Cupid’s fiery shaft

Quench’d in the chaste beams of the wat’ry moon.

And the imperial vot’ress passed on,

In maiden meditation, fancy-free.

Yet mark’d I where the bolt of Cupid fell: