FANCY AND THE POET - Lucy Maud Montgomery Poems

 
 

Poems » lucy maud montgomery » fancy and the poet

FANCY AND THE POET

                     Poet --
Enchanting spirit! -- at thy votive shrine
I lowly bend a simple wreath to twine;
O Come from the ideal world and fling
Thy airy fingers o'er my rugged string;
Sweep the dark chords of thought and give to earth
The thrilling song that tells thy heavenly birth --

                      Fancy --
Happiness when from earth she fled
    I passed on her heavenward flight --
"Take this crown," the spirit said
    "Of heaven's own golden light --
To the sons of sorrow the token give,
And bid them follow my steps and live!" --

I took the crown from the snowy hand,
    It flashed like a living star;
I turned this dark earth to a fairy land
    When I hither drive my car;
But I placed the crown round my tresses bright,
And man only saw its reflected light --

Many a lovely dream I've given,
    And many a song divine;
But never! -- oh never -- that gift of heaven
    Shall mortals temples twine --
Hope and love in the circlet glow!
'Tis all too bright for a world of woe --

                        Poet --
Hist -- Beautiful spirit! -- why silent so soon?
My ear drinks each word of thy magical tune;
My lyre owns thy touch -- and its tremulous strings
Vibrate beneath the soft play of thy wings;
Resume thy sweet lay, and reveal, ere we part
Thy home lovely spirit -- and say what thou art?" --

                        Fancy --
The gleam of a star thou cans't not see --
Of an eye 'neath its sleeping lid,
The sound of a far off melody
    The voice of a stream that's hid;
Such must I still remain to thee
A wonder and a mystery! --

I live in the poet's dream
    I flash on the painter's eye;
I dwell in the moon's pale beam,
    In the depths of the star lit sky;
I traverse the earth, the air, the main,
And bind young hearts in my magic chain --

I float on the fleecy cloud
    My voice is in ev'ry breeze;
I speak in the tempest loud,
    In the sigh of the waving trees --
To the sons of earth -- in a mystic tone,
I tell of a world more bright than their own! --