As the flowers turn sunward their faces
To welcome their lord’s early ray;
As the ivy the oak tree embraces
As the wave to the shore finds its way,
As the bee flies afar to the clover,
As the brook follows onto the sea,
E’en thus the world over and over
Would I, dearest heart, follow thee.

    To be near thee, darling, to be near thee
    Is sunlight of my life to me,
    ’Tis like a happy dream to hear thee
    Say tenderly, “I love but thee.”
    To be near thee, parting from thee never
    All other joys of life I’d give.
    My heart is in thy keeping ever
    For thee to die, for thee to live.

In the byways of doubting and dreaming
I’ve followed thee smiling through tears,
With faint hope like a will-o’-wisp gleaming
Afar in the night of my fears.
But dark forests no longer surround thee,
All the danger and doubting are past.
My journey is over, I’ve found thee,
’Tis here I shall meet thee at last.

    To be near thee, darling, to be near thee
    Is sunlight of my life to me,
    ’Tis like a happy dream to hear thee
    Say tenderly, “I love but thee.”
    To be near thee, parting from thee never
    All other joys of life I’d give.
    My heart is in thy keeping ever
    For thee to die, for thee to live.