 | Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood |  |
89
LULIN; OR, THE DIAMOND FAY.
A FAIRY LEGEND, SENT BY A LOVER TO HIS MISTRESS, WITH A DIAMOND RING.
I.
Fair Lilith, listen, while I sing
The legend of this diamond ring;
And in its moral, maiden, heed
A quiet “hint, your heart may need.”
In fairy archives, where 'tis told,
I found the story quaint and old,
Writ on a richly-blazon'd page
Of parchment, by some elfin sage.
The legend of this diamond ring;
And in its moral, maiden, heed
A quiet “hint, your heart may need.”
In fairy archives, where 'tis told,
I found the story quaint and old,
Writ on a richly-blazon'd page
Of parchment, by some elfin sage.
Long was the night to Lulin!—Discontent
With dew and flowers,—with fairy dance and song,—
Her pearl-shell boat upon the little stream,
Lit by a firefly, which her spells transfix'd,
And lined with a warm blush some flower had given,
Where she was wont to lie and furl at will
The lily-leaf, and ply her elfin oar,—
Her white moth-courser, harness'd with gold hair,—
Her tiny, silver-chorded lute, on which
She play'd the violet's lullaby, until
It bent in balmy slumber,—all were vain,
All wearied her. Vague yearnings for a sphere
More high and vast had fill'd her ardent soul.
And once, at dawn, when soft the signal rang
That every morning warn'd the dainty troop
On pain of death to fly the approach of Day,
Our wilful Lulin lingered!—but an instant—
Yet in that instant she was seen and loved,
And loved again. Alas! The first, rich ray,
The glorious herald of the coming morn,
Lit on the greensward at her very feet!
She fled in fear, yet with a rapturous thrill
At heart that haunted her. And now she lay
Upon her rose-leaf couch, half wild with doubt
And hope, when lo! just ere the dawn,
A bubble, blown by some blithe cottage imp,
Floated above her! Like a gleam of light,
Up glided Lulin from her fragrant bed,
And clapp'd her delicate hands and cried, “For me!
For me—the strange balloon! 'Tis bound to heaven!
Thus then I leave the cares of life for ever,
And meet my love!” She plumed her luminous wings,
She flew to mount the slowly soaring orb,
And, poised upon it, proudly looked below!
Ah, heaven! what warm embrace enfolds her form?
Her sunlit god alights beside her there!
And the car, suddenly illumined, glows
Beneath the glory of his smile; and up
They sail exulting in their joy;—but hark!
The signal sounds! the musical fairy gong!
Once—twice—ah, fate! ere thrice its tones resound,
The fragile bubble breaks! Alas for Lulin!
Down from her dizzy height, in sight of all,
Of all the troop dismay'd, she gleaming fell!
Still radiant in the sunbeam's bright embrace:
And crush'd—a little heart's-ease in her fall.
With dew and flowers,—with fairy dance and song,—
Her pearl-shell boat upon the little stream,
Lit by a firefly, which her spells transfix'd,
And lined with a warm blush some flower had given,
Where she was wont to lie and furl at will
The lily-leaf, and ply her elfin oar,—
90
Her tiny, silver-chorded lute, on which
She play'd the violet's lullaby, until
It bent in balmy slumber,—all were vain,
All wearied her. Vague yearnings for a sphere
More high and vast had fill'd her ardent soul.
And once, at dawn, when soft the signal rang
That every morning warn'd the dainty troop
On pain of death to fly the approach of Day,
Our wilful Lulin lingered!—but an instant—
Yet in that instant she was seen and loved,
And loved again. Alas! The first, rich ray,
The glorious herald of the coming morn,
Lit on the greensward at her very feet!
She fled in fear, yet with a rapturous thrill
At heart that haunted her. And now she lay
Upon her rose-leaf couch, half wild with doubt
And hope, when lo! just ere the dawn,
A bubble, blown by some blithe cottage imp,
Floated above her! Like a gleam of light,
Up glided Lulin from her fragrant bed,
And clapp'd her delicate hands and cried, “For me!
For me—the strange balloon! 'Tis bound to heaven!
Thus then I leave the cares of life for ever,
And meet my love!” She plumed her luminous wings,
She flew to mount the slowly soaring orb,
91
Ah, heaven! what warm embrace enfolds her form?
Her sunlit god alights beside her there!
And the car, suddenly illumined, glows
Beneath the glory of his smile; and up
They sail exulting in their joy;—but hark!
The signal sounds! the musical fairy gong!
Once—twice—ah, fate! ere thrice its tones resound,
The fragile bubble breaks! Alas for Lulin!
Down from her dizzy height, in sight of all,
Of all the troop dismay'd, she gleaming fell!
Still radiant in the sunbeam's bright embrace:
And crush'd—a little heart's-ease in her fall.
II.
And lo! bewilder'd, tranced as in a dream,
The wondering band too late remain'd; for Day
Surprised them with his fatal, fiery glance,
And from that hour they vanish'd from the earth!
Yet ere they pass'd away—to our lost Lulin,
Outspake her fairy majesty; and calm
And cold her sentence fell, as falls the snow
On some young flower:—“Soars the sprite so high?
Her pride shall have due deference. Henceforth,
A diamond shall our Lulin's prison be,—
A palace rarely carved and lighted up;
Nor shall the culprit liberty regain,
Till, set in ring of gold, she goes to grace
The finger of a maid, whose dainty love,
Like hers, disdains all fellowship with earth,
And soars to meet some spirit of the skies.
When that maid shall forego her airy dream
To wed with clay,—the sprite, her penance o'er,
Her sin forgiven, shall fly her diamond-cell.”
The wondering band too late remain'd; for Day
Surprised them with his fatal, fiery glance,
And from that hour they vanish'd from the earth!
Yet ere they pass'd away—to our lost Lulin,
Outspake her fairy majesty; and calm
And cold her sentence fell, as falls the snow
On some young flower:—“Soars the sprite so high?
Her pride shall have due deference. Henceforth,
A diamond shall our Lulin's prison be,—
A palace rarely carved and lighted up;
92
Till, set in ring of gold, she goes to grace
The finger of a maid, whose dainty love,
Like hers, disdains all fellowship with earth,
And soars to meet some spirit of the skies.
When that maid shall forego her airy dream
To wed with clay,—the sprite, her penance o'er,
Her sin forgiven, shall fly her diamond-cell.”
The tale is told.—To Lilith's care,
I give my lovely, diamond sprite,
My prisoner-fay, with golden hair,
And tiny wings of purple light,
And cheek of rose, and eyes of blue,
And fluttering scarf of emerald hue.
I give my lovely, diamond sprite,
My prisoner-fay, with golden hair,
And tiny wings of purple light,
And cheek of rose, and eyes of blue,
And fluttering scarf of emerald hue.
But I've a faint misgiving, sweet,
That still the wilful lovers meet!
Methinks 'twere sweet to watch all day
The sunbeam flirting with the fay!
And oft I've seen some radiant thing
(That waved so fast its flashing wing,
Its shape escaped my dazzled eyes,—
Perhaps her lover in disguise!)
Into the diamond-palace dart!
And sudden, waking with a start,
My sprite, that lay so still and cold,
Flings back her locks of gleaming gold;
Waves her bright wings, in glad surprise,
With radiant blush and beaming eyes;
And, with her light scarf, strives to chain
Her brilliant guest,—alas, in vain!
Recall'd, to heaven her angel flies,
And all the diamond's rainbow dies!
That still the wilful lovers meet!
Methinks 'twere sweet to watch all day
The sunbeam flirting with the fay!
And oft I've seen some radiant thing
(That waved so fast its flashing wing,
Its shape escaped my dazzled eyes,—
Perhaps her lover in disguise!)
Into the diamond-palace dart!
And sudden, waking with a start,
93
Flings back her locks of gleaming gold;
Waves her bright wings, in glad surprise,
With radiant blush and beaming eyes;
And, with her light scarf, strives to chain
Her brilliant guest,—alas, in vain!
Recall'd, to heaven her angel flies,
And all the diamond's rainbow dies!
So, Lilith, take the culprit fay,
And let her have her fairy way.
Think—how would you like, thus to pine
Within a prison, lady mine?
Recall your soul to things below,
And let the dainty creature go;
And while you set one subject free,
Another captive take—in me!
Believe me, you, whose spirit now
So coldly looks from eye and brow,
If once you let Love's heavenly ray
Glide in upon your heart to play,
Would wake like her to glorious bloom,
And all your lovely cage illume;
And not, like her, the hapless sprite,
Should Lilith mourn her lover's flight!
Young Lilith took the diamond ring,
And while she watch'd the fairy's wing
Within it play, she listen'd, mute
And blushing to her lover's suit.
Ah! woe the morn, sweet Lilith gave
Her troth to him—the minstrel brave!
The bridal now was scarcely said,
Ere from the gem the fairy fled,
And as she glanced like light away,
In Lilith's dark eyes paled the ray;
And ere the sprite was lost to view,
Her cheek had changed its glowing hue:
Her eyelids closed!—can it be death?
Ah, heaven! that fluttering, failing breath,—
The fay has fled—and Lilith's soul,
Too pure for this world, heavenward stole!
And let her have her fairy way.
Think—how would you like, thus to pine
Within a prison, lady mine?
Recall your soul to things below,
And let the dainty creature go;
And while you set one subject free,
Another captive take—in me!
Believe me, you, whose spirit now
So coldly looks from eye and brow,
If once you let Love's heavenly ray
Glide in upon your heart to play,
Would wake like her to glorious bloom,
And all your lovely cage illume;
And not, like her, the hapless sprite,
Should Lilith mourn her lover's flight!
94
And while she watch'd the fairy's wing
Within it play, she listen'd, mute
And blushing to her lover's suit.
Ah! woe the morn, sweet Lilith gave
Her troth to him—the minstrel brave!
The bridal now was scarcely said,
Ere from the gem the fairy fled,
And as she glanced like light away,
In Lilith's dark eyes paled the ray;
And ere the sprite was lost to view,
Her cheek had changed its glowing hue:
Her eyelids closed!—can it be death?
Ah, heaven! that fluttering, failing breath,—
The fay has fled—and Lilith's soul,
Too pure for this world, heavenward stole!
| Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood | |