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The Poem

He danced beneath the moon,

and he slept beneath the sun.

He lived a life of going-to-do,

and he died with nothing done.

Ogdoad dancing

Several people have asked me about this verse. This version is my own, adapted from the original which I found in an art auction catalogue. The details are as follows:

Realms of the Mind:

British Fantasy Art and Illustration

Sotheby's
London Thursday 30 October 1997

181 Richard James Williams
1876-1964

THE TROLLS WATCH THE SLEEPING GOBLIN
'For he dreamed beneath the moon,
And he slept beneath the sun
And lived a life of "going to do" -
And died with nothing done'

signed l.r.: R.JAMES WILLIAMS
pencil and watercolour, hightened with white
framed and glazed
367 by 255mm., 14 1/2 by 10in.

R.James Williams was the headmaster of the Worcester School of Arts and Crafts and was the editor and major contributor to their periodical, The Three Pears, Worcester Arts Magazine. He illustrated several children's books.

I don't know whether R James Williams wrote the verse, or whether he was simply quoting. If you can shed more light on this, maybe you could let me know?

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