Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE PIXY PEOPLE, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: It was just a very Last Line: Their old honey-song! Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F. Subject(s): Fairies; Elves | ||||||||
It was just a very Merry fairy dream! -- All the woods were airy With the gloom and gleam; Crickets in the clover Clattered clear and strong, And the bees droned over Their old honey-song! In the mossy passes, Saucy grasshoppers Leaped about the grasses And the thistle-burs; And the whispered chuckle Of the katydid Shook the honeysuckle- Blossoms where he hid. Through the breezy mazes Of the lazy June, Drowsy with the hazes Of the dreamy noon, Little Pixy people Winged above the walk, Pouring from the steeple Of a mullein-stalk. One -- a gallant fellow -- Evidently King, -- Wore a plume of yellow In a jeweled ring On a pansy bonnet, Gold and white and blue, With the dew still on it, And the fragrance, too. One -- a dainty lady, -- Evidently Queen -- Wore a gown of shady Moonshine and green, With a lace of gleaming Starlight that sent All the dewdrops dreaming Everywhere she went. One wore a waistcoat Of rose-leaves, out and in; And one wore a faced-coat Of tiger-lily-skin; And one wore a neat coat Of palest galingale; And one a tiny street-coat, And one a swallow-tail. And Ho! sang the King of them, And Hey! sang the Queen; And round and round the ring of them Went dancing o'er the green; And Hey! sang the Queen of them, And Ho! sang the King -- And all that I had seen of them -- Wasn't anything! It was just a very Merry fairy dream! -- All the woods were airy With the gloom and gleam; Crickets in the clover Clattered clear and strong, And the bees droned over Their old honey-song! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE FAERY FOREST by SARA TEASDALE THE LAND OF HEART'S DESIRE by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS THE FAIRIES by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM THE FAIRY CHILD by JOHN ANSTER THE FORSAKEN MERMAN by MATTHEW ARNOLD THE LITTLE ELF-MAN by JOHN KENDRICK BANGS TAM O' SHANTER by ROBERT BURNS A BOOK OF AIRS: SONG 19. THE FAIRY QUEEN PROSERPINA by THOMAS CAMPION A PROPER NEW BALLAD [ENTITLED THE FAIRIES' FAREWELL] by RICHARD CORBET A BOY'S MOTHER by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY |
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