Gerard Addington D Arcy Irvine Poems >>
The Fairies

I
As I lay sleeping yesternight,
The fairies came to me ;
The moon, full-orb’d, gave ample light,
Enabling me to see
The little, green-clad, kindly things,
All dancing merrily.

II
I watch’d them all with full delight,
For it was good to see
So graceful and so rare a sight
Of innocence and glee;
I wonder’d where they liv’d and kept
As still as still could be.

III
Then all at once they ceased to dance,
And look’d as one, at me,
And I lay still as in a trance,
And listen’d eagerly,
To hear the kindly fairies talk
Who smil’d so pleasantly.

IV
And one who seem’d to be their queen,
Whose face was fair to see,
Whose dress was of a richer green,
Came near me daintily,
Her voice was like a singing bird’s,
And this, she said to me : –

V
” When fairies let their speech be heard,
A man must silent be,
And if he speak a single word,
That moment we must flee,
And we have come to show a thing
Which future years may see.

VI
” For we will bring thee to the Fane
Where time unerringly
Enshrineth things that poet’s brain
And heart have caus’d to be ;
Colossal things are there, and things
Of true simplicity.”

VII
Then all the fairies closer drew,
And gently lifted me ;
It seem’d as if a zephyr blew,
As softly, pleasantly,
They carried me I knew not where,
And set me by the sea.

VIII
Then stood I on the sounding shore,
Just where I lov’d to be,
And watch’d the tow’ring breakers pour
Themselves unceasingly,
And spread in ripples at my feet,
While moonbeams kiss’d the sea.

IX
Until my little fairy friends
Disturb’d my reverie –
Alas, how simply one offends
Where none offence should be ;
I almost thought the fairy queen
Was jealous of the sea.

X
” Behind thee is the Muse’s Fane,
Where works of artistry
That triumph through their worth, remain,
A living library !
I wish’d to show some little thing ” –
Lo, this, she said to me.

XI
The place I, shoeless, entered then,
Seem’d partly known to me;
Perhaps it was that works of men
Of wondrous sympathy,
Whose thoughts had pleas’d me well, were there,
In immortality.

XII
It seem’d a thing beyond my dreams
That my small lamp could be
Allow’d to shed its feeble beams,
In that great company ;
Yet, why had fairies brought me there ?
My heart said, tremblingly.

XIII
The fairies seem’d so kindly too,
Surely not mockingly,
– That were a thing unkind to do –
Had they come unto me ;
And round me all those fairies stood,
As joyous as could be.

XIV
My peace I could no longer hold ;
I cried excitedly
” Show me, O friends ” – then all was cold,
I knew they’d gone from me,
And I had broken that dear spell,
Alas, impatiently.

XV
” When fairies let their speech be heard,
A man must silent be,
And if he speak a single word
That moment we must flee.”
Ah, would that I had heeded well
Words utter’d warningly.

XVI
And when I wak’d I felt the breeze
Come through the windows free.
It murmur’d in the leafy trees,
It sigh’d with sympathy ;
And while the timid moonbeams came,
I heard the mighty sea.

(Gerard Addington D Arcy Irvine)

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