But well I know her sinless mind Is pure as the angel forms above, Gentle and meek, and chaste and kind, Such as a spirit well might love; Fairy! had she spot or taint, Bitter had been thy punishment. Songs of VIII The Fay's Sentence "Thou shalt seek the beach of sand Where the water bounds the elfin land; Till the sturgeon leaps in the bright moonshine, And catch a drop from his silver bow. IX "If the spray-bead gem be won, The stain of thy wing is washed away: But another errand must be done Songs of Ere thy crime be lost for aye; Mount thy steed and spur him high And when thou seest a shooting star, X The Fay's Departure The goblin marked his monarch well; And turned him round in act to go. His soiled wing has lost its power, Now over the violet's azure flush He skips along in lightsome mood; Till its points are dyed in fairy blood. And he laughed as he jumped upon her back: With leap and spring they bound along, JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE. Songs of A Myth A floating, a floating Across the sleeping sea, All night I heard a singing bird "Oh, came you from the isles of Greece Or from the banks of Seine? Songs of Or off some tree in forests free "I came not off the old world, 66 Which sing the whole night through." Oh, sing and wake the dawning! The night is long, the current strong, "The current sweeps the old world, The wind will blow, the dawn will glow, The Fairy Folk Up the airy mountain, Down the rushy glen Trooping all together; Green jacket, red cap, And white owl's feather. Down along the rocky shore They live on crispy pancakes Some in the reeds Of the black mountain-lake, With frogs for their watch-dogs, All night awake. High on the hill-top The old King sits; He is now so old and gray On his stately journeys From Slieveleague to Rosses; Or going up with music, On cold starry nights, To sup with the Queen Of the gay Northern Lights. They stole little Bridget Her friends were all gone. They took her lightly back, Between the night and morrow; Songs of |