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Letitia Elizabeth Landon - The Fairy Queen Sleeping. By Stothard
Work rating: Low

She lay upon a bank, the favourite haunt
Of the spring wind in its first sunshine hour,
For the luxuriant strawberry blossoms spread
Like a snow-shower there, and violets
Bow`d down their purple vases of perfume
About her pillow,--link`d in a gay band
Floated fantastic shapes, these were her guards,
Her lithe and rainbow elves.

WE have been o`er land and sea,
Seeking lovely dreams for thee,--
Where is there we have not been
Gathering gifts for our sweet queen?
We are come with sound and sight
Fit for fairy`s sleep to-night,--
First around thy couch shall sweep
Odours, such as roses weep
When the earliest spring rain
Calls them into life again;
Next upon thine ear shall float
Many a low and silver note,
Stolen from a dark-eyed maid
When her lover`s serenade,
Rising as the stars grew dim,
Waken`d her from thoughts of him.
There shall steal o`er lip and cheek
Gales, but all too light to break
Thy soft rest,--such gales as hide
All day orange-flowers inside,
Or that, while hot noontide, dwell
In the purple hyacinth bell;
And before thy sleeping eyes
Shall come glorious pageantries,--
Palaces of gems and gold,
Such as dazzle to behold,--
Gardens, in which every tree
Seems a world of bloom to be,--
Fountains, whose clear waters show
The white pearls that lie below.--
During slumber`s magic reign
Other times shall live again;
First thou shalt be young and free
In thy days of liberty,--
Then again be woo`d and won
By thy stately OBERON .
Or thou shalt descend to earth,
And see all of mortal birth.

No, that world`s too full of care
For e`en dreams to linger there.
But, behold, the sun is set,
And the diamond coronet
Of the young moon is on high
Waiting for our revelry;
And the dew is on the flower,
And the stars proclaim our hour;
Long enough thy rest has been,
Wake, TITANIA , wake our queen!
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