Aromas sweet of sherbet smell
Lily-o'-vale softest parget
Among the lightest blue harebells
Danced the fairies on lilac carpet

As river-current's shimmering wave
Shafts of golden sunlight
Bewitched the purple feys' enclave
Of pixies, elves and sprite

Dappled sun in woodland dell
Afore the hours o' nighttime fell
Like magic chessboard o' bluebell
'Twas the place the little folk dwell

In rolls of sky-blue tapestries
Checkered piebald mauve
Beneath the oak and hazel trees
'Mongst herb-robert 'n foxglove

There dwelt the wood-nymph fairie queen
With yellow hair and gown of green
Eyes dark-black and lofty mien
Spoke of things hidden, unforeseen.

She whispered as the seashell talks
As the soft tread of lovers' walks
As the windswept Dover chalks
As the wings of buzzard hawks.

There she taught the secret tune
Of eternal life, nature's boon,
'Twas the song of midnight moon
Whitest sphere of silver strewn

It was the song of constant yearning
Constant running and returning
She said it kept the earth-sphere turning
'Twas the secret of sages learning.

Then as the twilight spread its shadows
As the creeping water primrose
As the buttercup o' green meadows
As the dying in death's throes

Then I heard no more her whisper
Perhaps it was the water stream
Or the ripple of the river
Livened by the white moonbeam.