Israfel + 

In Heaven a spirit doth dwell + 

вАЬWhose heart-strings are a luteвАЭ; + 

None sing so wildly well + 

As the angel Israfel, + 

And the giddy Stars (so legends tell) + 

Ceasing their hymns, attend the spell + 

Of his voice, all mute. + 

Tottering above + 

In her highest noon, + 

The enamored Moon + 

Blushes with love, + 

While, to listen, the red levin + 

(With the rapid Pleiads, even, + 

Which were seven), + 

Pauses in Heaven + 

And they say (the starry choir + 

And the other listening things) + 

That IsrafeliвАЩs fire + 

Is owing to that lyre + 

By which he sits and singsвБ†вАФ + 

The trembling living wire + 

Of those unusual strings. + 

But the skies that angel trod, + 

Where deep thoughts are a dutyвБ†вАФ + 

Where LoveвАЩs a grown-up GodвБ†вАФ + 

Where the Houri glances are + 

Imbued with all the beauty + 

Which we worship in a star. + 

Therefore, thou art not wrong, + 

Israfeli, who despisest + 

An unimpassioned song; + 

To thee the laurels belong, + 

Best bard, because the wisest! + 

Merrily live and long! + 

The ecstasies above + 

With thy burning measures suitвБ†вАФ + 

Thy grief, thy joy, thy hate, thy love, + 

With the fervor of thy luteвБ†вАФ + 

Well may the stars be mute! + 

Yes, Heaven is thine; but this + 

Is a world of sweets and sours; + 

Our flowers are merelyвБ†вАФflowers, + 

And the shadow of thy perfect bliss + 

Is the sunshine of ours. + 

If I could dwell + 

Where Israfel + 

Hath dwelt, and he where I, + 

He might not sing so wildly well + 

A mortal melody, + 

While a bolder note than this might swell + 

From my lyre within the sky. + 