DAY, in melting purple dying!
Blossoms, all around me sighing!
Fragrance, from the lilies straying!
Zephyr, with my ringlets playing!
Ye but waken my distress;
I am sick of loneliness.
Thou to whom I love to hearken,
Come, ere night around me darken!
Though thy softness but deceive me,
Say thou'rt true, and I'll believe thee;
Veil, if ill, thy soul's intent;
Let me think it innocent.
Save thy toiling, spare thy treasure:
All I ask is friendship's pleasure ;
Let the shining ore lie darkling,
Bring no gem in lustre sparkling:
Gifts and gold are naught to me;
I would only look on thee!
Tell to thee the high-wrought feeling,
Ecstasy but in revealing;
Paint to thee the deep sensation,
Rapture in participation ;
Yet but torture, if comprest
In a lone, unfriended breast.
Absent still! Ah, come and bless me!
Let these eyes again caress thee.
Once, in caution, I could fly thee;
Now I nothing could deny thee.
In a look if death there be,
Come and I will gaze on thee!
“O DIG a grave, and dig it deep,
Where I and my true-love may sleep!"
We'll dig a grave, and dig it deep,
Where thou and thy true-love shall sleep!
"And let it be five fathom low,
Where winter winds may never blow!"
And it shall be five fathom low,
Where winter winds shall never blow!
"And let it be on yonder hill,
Where grows the mountain daffodil !
And it shall be on yonder hill,
Where grows the mountain daffodil !
"And plant it round with holy briers. To fright away the fairy fires!
We'll plant it round with holy briers,
To fright away the fairy fires!
"And set it round with celandine,
And nodding heads of columbine!"
We'll set it round with celandine,
And nodding heads of columbine!
"And let the ruddock build his nest
Just above my true-love's breast!"
The ruddock he shall build his nest
Just above thy true-love's breast!
"And warble his sweet wintry song
O'er our dwelling all day long!"
And he shall warble his sweet song
O'er your dwelling all day long.
"Now, tender friends, my garments take,
And lay me out for Jesus' sake!"
And we will now thy garments take,
And lay thee out for Jesus' sake!
"And lay me by my true-love's side,
That I may be a faithful bride!"
We'll lay thee by thy true-love's side,
That thou may'st be a faithful bride!
"When I am dead, and buried be,
Pray to God in heaven for me!"
Now thou art dead, we'll bury thee,
And pray to God in heaven for thee!
As some poor piteous Lapp, who under firs
Which bend and break with load of arctic snows,
Has crept and crouched to watch when crimson glows Begin, feels in his veins the thrilling stirs
|