Songs of Experience: The Little Girl Lost

 In futurity
 I prophetic see
 That the earth from sleep
 (Grave the sentence deep)
 
 Shall arise, and seek
 for her Maker meek;
 And the desert wild
 Become a garden mild.
 
 In the southern clime,
 Where the summer's prime
 Never fades away,
 Lovely Lyca lay.
 
 Seven summers old
 Lovely Lyca told.
 She had wandered long,
 Hearing wild birds' song.
 
 'Sweet sleep, come to me
 Underneath this tree;
 Do father, mother, weep?
 Where can Lyca sleep?
 
 'Lost in desert wild
 Is your little child.
 How can Lyca sleep
 If her mother weep?
 
 'If her heart does ache,
 Then let Lyca wake;
 If my mother sleep,
 Lyca shall not weep.
 
 'Frowning, frowning night,
 O'er this desert bright
 Let thy moon arise,
 While I close my eyes.'
 
 Sleeping Lyca lay
 While the beasts of prey,
 Come from caverns deep,
 Viewed the maid asleep.
 
 The kingly lion stood,
 And the virgin viewed:
 Then he gambolled round
 O'er the hallowed ground.
 
 Leopards, tigers, play
 Round her as she lay;
 While the lion old
 Bowed his mane of gold,
 
 And her breast did lick
 And upon her neck,
 From his eyes of flame,
 Ruby tears there came;
 
 While the lioness
 Loosed her slender dress,
 And naked they conveyed
 To caves the sleeping maid.

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