Poems on Various Subjects (Coleridge)/Songs of the Pixies
SONGS
OF
THE PIXIES.
The Pixies, in the superstition of Devonshire are a race of beings invisibly small, and harmless or friendly to man. At a small distance from a village in that county, half way up a wood-cover'd hill, is an excavation, called the Pixies' Parlour. The roots of old trees form its cieling; and on its sides are innumerable cyphers, among which the Author discovered his own cypher and those of his brothers, cut by the hand of their childhood. At the foot of the hill flows the river Otter.
To this place the Author conducted a party of young Ladies, during the Summer months of the year 1793; one of whom, of stature elegantly small, and of complexion colourless yet clear, was proclaimed the Fairy Queen: On which occasion the following Irregular Ode was written.
SONGS
OF
THE PIXIES.
I.
Pixies in their madrigal,
Fancy's children, here we dwell:
Welcome, Ladies! to our cell.
Here the wren of softest note
Builds it's nest and warbles well;
Here the blackbird drains his throat:
Welcome, Ladies! to our cell.
II.
And scuds the cloud before the gale,
Ere Morn with living gems bedight
Purples the East with streaky light,
We sip the furze-flowr's fragrant dews
Clad in robes of rainbow hues
Richer, than the deepen'd bloom,
That glows on Summer's lily-scented plume:
Or, sport amid the rosy gleam
Sooth'd by the distant-tinkling team,
While lusty Labor scouting sorrow
Bids the Dame a glad good-morrow,
Who jogs th' accustom'd road along,
And paces cheery to her cheering song.
III.
We scorch amid the blaze of day,
When Noontide's fiery-tressed minion
Flashes the fervid ray.
Aye from the sultry heat
We to the cave retreat
O'ercanopied by huge roots intertwin'd
With wildest texture, blacken'd o'er with age:
Round them their mantle green the ivies bind,
Beneath whose foliage pale
Fann'd by the unfrequent gale
We shield us from the Tyrants' mid-day rage.
IV.
Of wild-bees, hum their drowsy song,
By Indolence and Fancy brought,
A youthful Bard, "unknown to Fame,"
Wooes the Queen of solemn thought,
And heaves the gentle mis'ry of a sigh
Gazing with tearful eye,
As round our sandy grot appear
Many a rudely sculptur'd name
To pensive Mem'ry dear!
Weaving gay dreams of sunny-tinctur'd hue
We glance before his view:
O'er his hush'd soul our soothing witch'ries shed,
And twine our faery garlands round his head.
V.
Crown'd with her dewy star
Steals o'er the fading sky in shadowy flight;
On leaves of aspen trees
We tremble to the breeze
Veil'd from the grosser ken of mortal sight.
Or, haply, at the visionary hour,
Along our wildly-bow'rd, sequestered walk,
We listen to th' enamour'd rustic's talk;
Heave with the heavings of the maiden's breast,
Where young-eyed Loves have built their turtle nest;
Or guide of soul-subduing power
Th' electric flash, that from the melting eye
Darts the fond question and the soft reply.
VI.
We flash our faery feet in gamesome prank;
Or, silent-sandal'd, pay our defter court
Circling the Spirit of the Western Gale,
Where, wearied with his flower-caressing sport,
Supine he slumbers on a violet bank;
Then with quaint music hymn the parting gleam,
By lonely Otter's sleep-persuading stream;
Or where his waves with loud unquiet song
Dash'd o'er the rocky channel froth along;[errata 1]
Or where, his silver waters smooth'd to rest,
The tall trees' shadow sleeps upon his breast.
VII.
Eve saddens into Night.
Mother of wildly-working dreams! we view
The Sombre Hours, that round thee stand
With down-cast eyes (a duteous band!)
Their dark robes dripping with the heavy dew.
Sorc'ress of the ebon throne!
Thy power the Pixies own,
When round thy raven brow
Heaven's lucent roses glow,
And clouds, in watry colours drest,
Float in light drapery o'er thy fable vest:
What time the pale moon sheds a softer day
Mellowing the woods beneath its pensive beam:
For mid the quiv'ring light 'tis our's to play,
Aye-dancing to the cadence of the stream.
VIII.
Where the blameless Pixies dwell.
But thou sweet Nymph! proclaim'd our Faery Queen,
With what obeisance[errata 2] meet
Thy presence shall we greet?
For lo! attendant on thy steps are seen
Graceful Ease in artless stole,
And white-rob'd Purity of soul.
With Honor's softer mein:
Mirth of the loosely-flowing hair,
And meek ey'd Pity eloquently fair,
Whose tearful cheeks are lovely to the view,
As snow-drop wet with dew.
IX.
Transparent grace thy beauties meek;
Yet ere again along the impurpling vale,
The purpling vale and elfin-haunted grove,
Young Zephyr his fresh flowers profusely throws,
We'll tinge with livelier hues thy cheek;
And, haply, from the nectar-breathing Rose
Extract a Blush for Love!
Errata