And pearl and crystal shining bright
And within it opens into a world
And a little lovely moony night
Another England there I saw
Another London with its Tower
Another Thames and other hills
And another pleasant Surrey bower
Another Maiden like herself,
Translucent, lovely, shining clear
Threefold each in the other clos'd
O, what a pleasant trembling fear!
O, what a smile! a threefold smile
Fill'd me, that like a flame I burn'd
I bent to kiss the lovely Maid
And found a threefold kiss return'd
I strove to seize the inmost form
The speaker’s desire is only realized (“like a flame”) and not yet actualized (“hands of flame”).
The Crystal Cabinet