O meet me to-night by the bright starlight,
Now
the pleasant Spring's begun.
My
own dear maid, by the greenwood shade,
In
the crimson set of the sun,
Meet
me to-night.
The
sun he goes down with a ruby crown
To a
gold and crimson bed;
And
the falling dew, from heaven so blue,
Hangs
pearls on Phoebe's head.
Love,
leave the town.
Come
thou with me; 'neath the green-leaf tree
We'll
crop the bonny sweet brere.
O
come, dear maid, 'neath the hazlewood shade,
For
love invites us there.
Come
then with me.
The
owl pops, scarce seen, from the ivy green,
With
his spectacles on I ween:
See
the moon's above and the stars twinkle, love;
Better
time was never seen.
O
come, my queen.
The
fox he stops, and down he drops
His
head beneath the grass.
The
birds are gone; we're all alone;
O
come, my bonny lass.
Come, O come!
Come, O come!
J.L. Cherry, Life and Remains of John Clare
(London and Northampton:
Frederick Warne and J. Taylor and Son, 1873)
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