By road and river

Red roofs by the river,
I see them so plain,
Aglow in the sunlight
Agleam after rain.
Oh, oft in my dreaming,
I fondly recall
The quaint little quayside,
The peace over all.

The old folk so kindly,
So full of good will,
Who knew me in childhood,
Who speak of me still.
Red roofs by the river,
In sunshine and rain,
How oft in my dreaming
I see them again!

Along the lanes where first we met
The scent of hawthorn lingers yet,
And where the willows sob and sigh,
Ah! there we said our last goodbye.

Oh, sweet and sad those vanished hours,
Among the honey-scented flowers,
So sad, so sweet, so soon to be
A sigh, a dream, a memory.

Dainty, dainty maiden,
Tell me, tell me, pray,
Is it far to Elfinland,
Along the bluebell way?
“If you truly follow
Ev’ry bend of blue,
You will reach the magic gate
Before the dawn peeps through.”

Dainty, dainty maiden,
Tell me, tell me, pray,
Are the shadows dark and drear
Along the bluebell way?
“Light for your wand’ring feet
Moonbeams will spin,
Love with his golden key
Waits to let you in.”

O Western Wind! when wilt thou blow
The clouds across the sky?
Slow pass the ships upon the sea,
And sad at heart am I.

O Western Wind! when wilt thou blow
With soft and springing rain?
O that my love were in my arms,
And I were home again!

In Norley Wood the thickets ring
With gladness to the sky,
In Norley Wood I wake and sing
For very joy, I wonder why!

Is it your thought at break of day
That makes the dawning all divine – 
Your kiss from far away
That in the morning meets with mine?

In Norley Wood I wake and sing
With birds that carol clear,
For all the joy the day shall bring,
The happy thought that you are near.