[Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary | ||
TO MOTHER FAIRIE.
Good old mother Fairie,
Sitting by your fire,
Have you any little folk
You would like to hire?
Sitting by your fire,
Have you any little folk
You would like to hire?
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I want no chubby drudges
To milk, and churn, and spin,
Nor old and wrinkled Brownies,
With grisly beards, and thin:
To milk, and churn, and spin,
Nor old and wrinkled Brownies,
With grisly beards, and thin:
But patient little people,
With hands of busy care,
And gentle speech, and loving hearts;
Say, have you such to spare?
With hands of busy care,
And gentle speech, and loving hearts;
Say, have you such to spare?
I know a poor, pale body,
Who cannot sleep at night,
And I want the little people
To keep her chamber bright;
Who cannot sleep at night,
And I want the little people
To keep her chamber bright;
To chase away the shadows
That make her moan and weep,
To sing her loving lullabies,
And kiss her eyes asleep.
That make her moan and weep,
To sing her loving lullabies,
And kiss her eyes asleep.
And when in dreams she reaches
For pleasures dead and gone,
To hold her wasted fingers,
And make the rings stay on.
For pleasures dead and gone,
To hold her wasted fingers,
And make the rings stay on.
They must be very cunning
To make the future shine
Like leaves, and flowers, and strawberries,
A-growing on one vine.
To make the future shine
Like leaves, and flowers, and strawberries,
A-growing on one vine.
Good old mother Fairie,
Since my need you know,
Tell me, have you any folk
Wise enough to go?
Since my need you know,
Tell me, have you any folk
Wise enough to go?
[Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary | ||