And the ceiling fair that rose aboon, But, O, how fair the shape that lay The loveliest of the forms of light; "T was tied with threads of dawning gold, Her face was like the lily roon That veils the vestal planet's hue; And the diamond gems which round it gleam That ne'er have left their native heaven. She raised her eyes to the wondering sprite, Never before in the bowers of light Had the form of an earthly fay been seen. Long with his butterfly cloak she played; And as he told, in accents low, The story of his love and woe, She felt new pains in her bosom rise, "Return no more to your woodland height, But ever here with me abide In the land of everlasting light! Within the fleecy drift we 'll lie, We'll hang upon the rainbow's rim; And all the jewels of the sky Around thy brow shall brightly beam! And thou shalt bathe thee in the stream That rolls its whitening foam aboon, And ride upon the lightning's gleam, And dance upon the orbed moon! We'll sit within the Pleiad ring, We'll rest on Orion's starry belt, The song that makes the dew-mist melt; Of silvery moonshine's lengthened ray; She was lovely and fair to see, For he thought upon her looks so meek, And he thought of the light flush on her cheek. Never again might he bask and lie On that sweet cheek and moonlight eye; But in his dreams her form to see, To think upon his virgin bride, Was worth all heaven, and earth beside. "Lady," he cried, "I have sworn to-night, On the word of a fairy knight, To do my sentence-task aright; And called the sylphs who hovered there, And bade them fly and bring him straight, Of clouds condensed, a sable car. With charm and spell she blessed it there, Borne afar on the wings of the blast, Each flickering star behind him lies, And he has reached the northern plain, The streaming of the rocket-light. The star is yet in the vault of heaven, And now 't is deadly pale; And now 't is wrapped in sulphur-smoke, As swift as the glance of the arrowy lance As swift as the wind in its train behind The fiends of the clouds are bellowing loud, He gallops unhurt in the shower of fire, But he drove his steed to the lightning's speed, Then wheeled around to the fairy ground, Ouphe and goblin! imp and sprite! Elf of eve! and starry fay! Hither, hither wend your way; Twine ye in a jocund ring, Sing and trip it merrily, Hand to hand, and wing to wing, Round the wild witch-hazel tree. Hail the wanderer again With dance and song, and lute and lyre; Pure his wing and strong his chain, And doubly bright his fairy fire. Twine ye in an airy round, Brush the dew and print the lea; Skip and gambol, hop and bound, Round the wild witch-hazel tree. The beetle guards our holy ground, He hums in his ears and flaps his face; But hark! from tower to tree-top high, Shapes of moonlight! flit and fade! JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE. |