A dream took hold of the heart of a man, 
To hold it more than a mere dream can ; 
For the dream was wonderful, glorious, bright, 
A splendour by day and a love by night, 
In an earth all heaven, in a heaven all light --
For the dream was a woman, womanly, white.

And the dream became such a part of the man,
That it did for him more than a mere dream can ;
For soothing sorrows, transforming tears,
It lifted him higher than hopes and fears;
It dwelt with him days, and months, and years,
Made love and religion, and faith and prayers.

And who need be told how that dream began
To fail and to fade from the heart of the man;
Nay, it vanished, it broke, as the fitfullest gleam
Of the sun that fades on the fitfullest stream;
And there went with it love and religion, I deem,
And faith, and glory, and hope, it would seem;
For that dream was a woman, that woman a dream.