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Songs Of The Night Watches, - Concluding Song Of Dawn.

(Old English Manner.)

A MORN OF MAY.

All the clouds about the sun lay up in golden creases,

(Merry rings the maiden's voice that sings at dawn of day;)

Lambkins woke and skipped around to dry their dewy fleeces,

So sweetly as she carolled, all on a morn of May.

Quoth the Sergeant, "Here I'll halt; here's wine of joy for drinking;

To my heart she sets her hand, and in the strings doth play;

All among the daffodils, and fairer to my thinking,

And fresh as milk and roses, she sits this morn of May."

Quoth the Sergeant, "Work is work, but any ye might make me,

If I worked for you, dear lass, I'd count my holiday.

I'm your slave for good and all, an' if ye will but take me,

So sweetly as ye carol upon this morn of May."

"Medals count for worth," quoth she, "and scars are worn for honor;

But a slave an' if ye be, kind wooer, go your way."

All the nodding daffodils woke up and laughed upon her.

O! sweetly did she carol, all on that morn of May.

Gladsome leaves upon the bough, they fluttered fast and faster,

Fretting brook, till he would speak, did chide the dull delay:

"Beauty! when I said a slave, I think I meant a master;

So sweetly as ye carol all on this morn of May.

"Lass, I love you! Love is strong, and some men's hearts are tender."

Far she sought o'er wood and wold, but found not aught to say;

Mounting lark nor mantling cloud would any counsel render,

Though sweetly she had carolled upon that morn of May.

Shy, she sought the wooer's face, and deemed the wooing mended;

Proper man he was, good sooth, and one would have his way:

So the lass was made a wife, and so the song was ended.

O! sweetly she did carol all on that morn of May.