Her clothes were almost off;
Outside, a curious tree
Beat a branch at the window
To see what it could see

Perched on my enormous easy chair
Half n***, she clasped her hands
Her feet trembled on the floor
As soft as they could be

I watched as a ray of pale light
Trapped in the tree outside
Danced from her mouth
To her breast, like a fly on a flower

I kissed her delicate ankles
She had a soft, brusque laugh
That broke into shining crystals -
A pretty little laugh

Her feet ducked under her chemise;
'Will you please stop it!…'
But I laughed at her cries -
I knew she really liked it

Her eye trembled beneath my lips;
They closed at my touch
Her head went back; she cried:
'Oh, really! That's too much!
'My dear, I'm warning you…'
I stopped her protest with a kiss
And she laughed, low -
A laugh that wanted more than this…

Her clothes were almost off;
Outside, a curious tree
Beat a branch at the window
To see what it could see