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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THE LYRIC MUSE. |
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 | Life and Phantasy |  |
131
THE LYRIC MUSE.
One night a Sylph or Fairy
Came to me in a dream,
And her supporters airy
The singing-birds did seem.
Came to me in a dream,
And her supporters airy
The singing-birds did seem.
Aloft they gaily kept her
On floating feather-down;
A lily was her sceptre,
And roses made her crown.
On floating feather-down;
A lily was her sceptre,
And roses made her crown.
The birds left off rejoicing,
A richer song to hear,
And soon with softest voicing
These words came to mine ear,
A richer song to hear,
And soon with softest voicing
These words came to mine ear,
“My roses resting brightly
One moment on thy brow,
My lily touching lightly
Thy beating heart below,
One moment on thy brow,
My lily touching lightly
Thy beating heart below,
“Would bring a wealth of lyrics
To thy enchanted tongue,
Surpassing Robert Herrick's,
Or aught more lately sung.
To thy enchanted tongue,
Surpassing Robert Herrick's,
Or aught more lately sung.
“But seldom is the earthy
Fit house for the divine,
And didst thou prove unworthy
A mournful fate were thine.”
Fit house for the divine,
And didst thou prove unworthy
A mournful fate were thine.”
I cried, “Whate'er may follow,
O teach me thus to sing!”—
But through the darkness hollow
Waved but a parting wing.
O teach me thus to sing!”—
But through the darkness hollow
Waved but a parting wing.
| Life and Phantasy | |