Mider’s Song by Fiona Macleod
Written by admin on November 19, 2008 – 11:56 am -From The Book of Fairy Poetry, published in 1920, this is one of several fairy poems written by Fiona Macleod which deals with fairies on a powerful, adult, and real level. One of my favorite passages illustrates this point: “They laugh and are glad, And are terrible: When their lances shake, Every green reed quivers.” This is definitely not a child’s fairy poem–
How beautiful they are,
The lordly ones
Who dwell in the hills,
In the hollow hills.
* * * * *
They have faces like flowers
And their breath is wind
That blows over grass
Filled with dewy clover.
* * * * *
Their limbs are more white
Than shafts of moonshine:
They are more fleet
Than the March wind.
* * * * *
They laugh and are glad
And are terrible:
When their lances shake
Every green reed quivers.
* * * * *
How beautiful they are,
How beautiful,
The lordly ones
In the hollow hills.
* * * * *
I would go back
To the Country of the Young,
And see again
The lances of the Shee,
* * * * *
As they keep their hosting
With laughing cries
In pale places
Under the moon.
Tags: fairy poems, fairy poetry, real fairies, Real Fairy Poems
Posted in Real Fairy Poems | 10 Comments »
May 8th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
that poem is awesome!
does dreaming of an elves is kind of communicating also with them? but that time i’m not that interested! dreaming in a row, night after night! t.t
May 13th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Hi val,
Yes, this is one of my favorite faery poems…
I think I have answered this on another post but yes, I do think that dreaming of elves talking to you is definitely a communication from them –
Natalie
May 16th, 2009 at 4:14 am
I remember hearing this poem being sung at a musical competition, but cannot find it on the web. Anyone know where I might obtain the sheet music?
May 26th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Hi Caedfael,
No, sorry, I don’t know about this ever being sung but that is a wonderful idea. Maybe someone here knows this information??
Natalie
July 30th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I remember having this poem in an anthology of poems and stories when I was about ten years of age.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:53 am
Hi Colin,
Yes, even though it is often found in anthologies for children–that’s where I found it–I think the writer was writing for adults.
Natalie
August 14th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
i don’t get it when it says they are cruel….
August 14th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
er i mean when it says the laughter is terrible
October 30th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Grew up singing this song in England in school.
Does anyone know who recorded it,please?
December 30th, 2009 at 5:50 am
This poem /song can be found on YouTube. It was often recorded on the BBC and was very popular. We sang it as children, so where does the notion come from that it is not suitable for children … Hans Christian Andersen, anyone?
Mairi