“The Abduction of Psyche” by William-Adolphe Bouguereau c. 1895

The shadow of a young man,

And the shadow of a young woman

Sit side by side on a hill.

This hill looks down upon a path.

I walk this path each day.

And each day they look out at me

From their perch on the green grass.

Whether the weather is mild or moderate

Their patch on the earth remains sunlit and calm.

They stare past the world outside of their own

As if all that truly exists to one

Is the other.

But I see them plainly.

Their eyes laugh with the light of the sun.

Softly, their skin seems to glow from within.

His arms tenderly envelop her body.

He strokes her silken hair.

She sees him with eyes of adoration

Taking refuge in his embrace.

His own eyes seem to laugh with the world,

Filled with the joy of love.

Cupid and Psyche never found better embodiments

Here below than in this pair.

These lovely shadows have been made immortal.

Their bodies never age.

Their love never wavers.

The miraculous beauty they have made

Will stand for all time.