Life and Phantasy by William Allingham: With frontispiece by Sir John E. Millais: A design by Arthur H. Hughes and a song for voice and piano forte |
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 | Life and Phantasy |  |
107
VIVANT!
No need, I hope, to doubt my loyalty;
From childhood I was fond of Royalty;
To Kings extravagantly dutiful,
To Queens yet more, if young and beautiful.
From childhood I was fond of Royalty;
To Kings extravagantly dutiful,
To Queens yet more, if young and beautiful.
How rich their robes! what crowns they all had too!
And yet how friendly to a small lad too!
At glorious banquets highly gracing him,
Beside the lovely Princess placing him.
And yet how friendly to a small lad too!
At glorious banquets highly gracing him,
Beside the lovely Princess placing him.
Their kingdoms' names I did not care about;
They lay in Fairyland or thereabout;
Their date, though, to forget were crime indeed,—
Exactly, “Once upon a time” indeed.
They lay in Fairyland or thereabout;
Their date, though, to forget were crime indeed,—
Exactly, “Once upon a time” indeed.
And still they reign o'er folk contented, there:
I hope to have my son presented there—
At every joyous court in Fairyland,
Its Cave-Land, Forest-Land, and Airy-Land.
I hope to have my son presented there—
At every joyous court in Fairyland,
Its Cave-Land, Forest-Land, and Airy-Land.
So down with democratic mania!
Long live great Oberon and Titania,
Imperial Rulers of those regions!—he
Be shot who wavers in allegiancy!
Long live great Oberon and Titania,
Imperial Rulers of those regions!—he
Be shot who wavers in allegiancy!
And bless all Monarchs in alliance with them,
Who've no enchanters, dragons, giants with them,
To keep sweet ladies under lock and key,
And answer challenges in mocking key!
Who've no enchanters, dragons, giants with them,
To keep sweet ladies under lock and key,
And answer challenges in mocking key!
| Life and Phantasy | |