THOUGH she has a name you bore,
Elfin-Heart we loved before,
You are lost to us, you child,
Little life-flame burning wild!
Though her hair- how like!- is tossed
Like your yellow head that’s lost,
And her blue eyes seem to smile
Like yours lost this weary while,
This dim woman lifelessly
Playing you- you are not she!
You that were a wisp, a spark,
Small wild sunray, Gleam-in-Dark,
Never you, wild heart awing,
This that is a changeling!
Elfin-Heart, too like you were-
Mocking eyes and tossing hair-
Cruel laughter, changeful ways-
To your kin the wandering fays,
To have passed their hidden ring,
Safe, uncaught, unfollowing!
Somewhere in a green hill’s heart
Elfin-tall you laugh apart
Where forever cold and gay
Do the Strange Folk’s pipers play . . .
And while this that bears your seeming
Goes among us dumb and dreaming
You dance on eternally
With the Dark Queen’s chivalry!
(Margaret Widdemer)
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Based on Topics: Name Poems, Laughter Poems, Boredom PoemsBased on Keywords: changeling, uncaught, awing, sunray, lifelessly, life-flame