To the Nightingale That, to hear her so complain, “Ah!” (thought I) "thou mourn'st in vain; None takes pity on thy pain; Senseless trees, they cannot hear thee; All thy friends are lapped in lead: Whilst as fickle Fortune smiled, Is no friend in misery. Words are easy, like the wind; Whilst thou hast wherewith to spend; They have at commandment; 20 30 40 They that fawned on him before, He that is thy friend indeed, 50 1598. Richard Barnfield. WHEN DAISIES PIED From L. L. L. WHEN daisies pied and violets blue, Do paint the meadows with delight, Cuckoo, cuckoo!-O word of fear, When shepherds pipe on oaten straws, And merry larks are ploughmen's clocks, When turtles tread, and rooks, and daws, 1598. Over Hill, Over Dale And maidens bleach their summer smocks, The cuckoo then, on every tree, Mocks married men; for thus sings he, Cuckoo ! Cuckoo, cuckoo!-O word of fear, Unpleasing to a married ear! 18 William Shakespeare. OVER HILL, OVER DALE From M. N. Dream OVER hill, over dale, Thorough bush, thorough brier, Thorough flood, thorough fire, 1600. William Shakespeare. 10 THE FAIRY LIFE From The Tempest I WHERE the bee sucks, there suck I: There I couch, when owls do cry: On the bat's back I do fly After summer merrily. Merrily, merrily, shall I live now, Under the blossom that hangs on the bough! II Come unto these yellow sands, And then take hands: Courtsied when you have and kiss'd The wild waves whist, Foot it featly here and there; And, sweet Sprites, the burthen bear. Hark, hark! Bow-wow. The watch-dogs bark: Bow-wow. Hark, hark! I hear The strain of strutting chanticleer Cry, Cock-a-diddle-dow! 1623. ΙΟ 20 William Shakespeare. UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE 1623. From As You Like It UNDER the greenwood tree Who loves to lie with me, Unto the sweet bird's throat Come hither, come hither, come hither! No enemy But winter and rough weather. Who doth ambition shun And loves to live i' the sun, And pleased with what he gets- Here shall he see No enemy But winter and rough weather. 8 16 William Shakespeare. |