Under the Eaves

	The door of the house has been locked fast,

	please hear me, I am lovesick.

	Make yourself seen, shapely lass,

4	for generous God's sake, withstand your sleep.

	You lying girl, why should it overcome you?

	Such a failing, by Mary, leads to madness.

	Impelled by my fervent passion I struck

8	three blows, and the locked latch

	broke, it was a noisy one —

	could you not hear it? Loud as a bell.

	Morfudd, my chaste–natured darling,

12	foster–mother of the realm of deceit,

	my lair is on the far side of the [wall–]rod

	from you, I have to shout, girl.

	Have mercy on the anguish that sleeplessness brings,

16	the night is dark, love's deceiver.

	Acknowledge the wretchedness of my plight,

	alas for such weather from the heavens tonight!

	So many torrents fall from the eaves

20	onto my flesh, passion's instrument.

	The rain is no greater (such is my anguish)

	than the snow I stand beneath.

	This shivering gives me no comfort,

24	no numbed skin ever knew greater pain

	than I have endured through caring,

	by the Man who made me, there's no worse lair.

	There never was even in Caernarfon castle

28	a dungeon worse than this street.

	I wouldn't stay out all night,

	I wouldn't lurk as I do for anyone but you.

	Believe me, I wouldn't venture to endure

32	this nightly torment if I did not love you.

	I wouldn't remain under rain and snow

	one single moment but for your sake.

	I wouldn't foresake (I know what hardship is)

36	the whole world were it not for you.

	Here I am, impelled by passion,

	whilst you have the fortune of being indoors.

	Whoever hears me here, my precious girl,

40	must doubt whether I will live.

	My pure soul is there within

	and my phantom here outside.

	My mind just won't go away,

44	it is madness that has brought me here.

	You made a contract with me,

	here I am, but where are you?