Tell me, have you ever met her
Met the spirit of my song?
Have her wave like footsteps glided
Through the city’s worldly throng?

You will know her by a wreath
Woven all of starry light
That is lying mid her hair
Braided hair as dark as night

Tell me, have you ever met her
Met the spirit of my song?
Have her wave like footsteps glided
Through the city's worldly throng?

A short band of radiant summers
Is upon her forehead laid
Twining half in golden sunlight
Sleeping hair in drеamy shade:

Five white fingеrs clasp a lyre
Five its silv'ry strings awake
And bewildering to the soul
Is the music that they make

Tell me, have you ever met her
Met the spirit of my song?
Have her wave like footsteps glided
Through the city’s worldly throng?
Though her glances sleep like shadows
'Neath each falling, silken lash
Yes, at aught that wakes resentment
They magnificently flash

Though you loved such dewy dream-light
And such glance of sweet surprise
You could never bear the scorn
Of those proud and brilliant eyes

Tell me, have you ever met her
Met the spirit of my song?
Have her wave like footsteps glided
Through the city’s worldly throng?

There's a sweet and winning cunning
In her bright lip's crimson hue
And a flitting tint of roses
From her soft cheek gleaming through:

Do you think that you have met her?
She is young and pure and fair
And she wears a wreath of starlight
In her braided ebon hair

Tell me, have you ever met her
Met the spirit of my song?
Have her wave like footsteps glided
Through the city’s worldly throng?
Often at her feet I'm sitting
With my head upon her knee
While she tells me dreams of beauty
In low words of melody:

And, when my unskillful fingers
Strive her silvery lyre to wake
She will smooth my tresses, smiling
At the discord which I make

Tell me, have you ever met her
Met the spirit of my song?
Have her wave like footsteps glided
Through the city’s worldly throng?

But of late days I have missed her
The bright being of my love
And perchance she's stolen pinions
And has floated up above

Tell me have you ever met her
Met the spirit of my song?
Have her wavelike footsteps glided
Through the city's worldly throng?