The goodman said, "'Tis time for bed, Come, mistress, get us quick to pray; Call in the maids From out the glades Where they with lovers stray, With love, and love do stray." "Nay, master mine, The night is fine, And time's enough all dark to pray; 'Tis April buds Bedeck the woods Where simple maids away With love, and love do stray. "Now we are old, And nigh the mould, 'Tis meet on feeble knees to pray; When once we'd roam, 'Twas else cried, 'Come, And sigh the dusk away, With love, and love to stray.'" So they gat in To pray till nine; Then called, "Come maids, true maids, away! Kiss and begone, Ha' done, ha' done, Until another day With love, and love to stray!" Oh, it were best If so to rest Went man and maid in peace away! The throes a heart May make to smart Unless love have his way, In April woods to stray! -- In April woods to stray!
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Authorship:
- by Walter De la Mare (1873 - 1956), no title, appears in Henry Brocken, first published 1904 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889 - 1960), "The doctor's song", op. 88 no. 3 (1937) [ voice and piano ], from Henry Brocken Song Cycle, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-01-13
Line count: 36
Word count: 166