Spurned Fairy

You can lure him with a willow-the-wisp 
at midnight — 
clothe his hands in foxgloves,
gossamer, and glue. 
You can feed him forest honey 
at the revels all you want to,
but a human can’t appreciate 
a fairy girl like you.

Fairy girl: he can’t come today,
your mortal love, or any other. 
Come away — 
unrequited, madness-hissing star. 
Chime your song 
for a fairy lover. 

But he danced like all the fairies 
of the evening.
Even half-asleep, 
he was attentive all the same. 
Dragon-eye and firefly!
As the stone moon howls, 
he promised me his human heart 
before the winter came. 

Fairy girl: do not wait for him 
in summer dresses, lily-soft. 
Come within — 
woolen nightgowns, leather slippers, fells, 
you will need 
at the speed he walks. 

But, behold — I hear his footsteps 
in the garden,
melting off the snowdrops,
surely a sign of sping.
When his human cloak
like a snakeskin behind him falls,
he will beg me to lead him under the hill
and make him my fairy king. 

Fairy girl: mortal men tell lies
to themselves in tones ascendant.
Come away — 
all his good intentions cannot mask
his desire
to be independent. 

Then I will watch for him at dusk
amongst the goblins —  
I will sour his cream and ride his horse 
and fashion a doll out of wood. 
His friends won’t know the difference
‘twixt my replica and he, 
so I will have him whether he likes it or not: 
for better or evil or good.