CIRCUMSTANCE. Two children in two neighbour villages Two lovers whispering by an orchard wall; So runs the round of life from hour to hour. THE MERMAN. 1. WHO would be A merman bold, Sitting alone, Under the sea, With a crown of gold, On a throne ? 2. I would be a merman bold; I would sit and sing the whole of the day; Laughingly, laughingly; And then we would wander away, away To the pale-green sea-groves straight and high, Chasing each other merrily 3. There would be neither moon nor star; But the wave would make music above us afar--Low thunder and light in the magic night Neither moon nor star. We would call aloud in the dreamy dells, All night, merrily, merrily; They would pelt me with starry spangles and shells, But I would throw to them back in mine Oh! what a happy life were mine THE MERMAID. 1. WHO would be Under the sea, In a golden curl With a comb of pearl, On a throne? 2. I would be a mermaid fair; 1 would sing to myself the whole of the day; With a comb of pearl I would comb my hair; And still as I comb'd I would sing and say, "Who is it loves me? who loves not me?" I would comb my hair till my ringlets would fall Low adown, low adown, From under my starry sea-bud crown Low adown and around, And I should look like a fountain of gold With a shrill inner sound, Over the throne In the midst of the hall; Till that great sea-snake under the sea Round the hall where I sate, and look in at the gate With his large calm eyes for the love of me. And all the mermen under the sea Would feel their immortality Die in their hearts for the love of me. 3. But at night I would wander away, away, I would fling on each side my low-flowing locks, And lightly vault from the throne and play With the mermen in and out of the rocks; We would run to and fro, and hide and seek, On the broad sea-wolds in the crimson shells, Whose silvery spikes are nighest the sea. But if any came near I would call, and shriek, And adown the steep like a wave I would leap From the diamond-ledges that jut from the dells: For I would not be kiss'd by all who would list, Of the bold merry mermen under the sea; They would sue me, and woo me, and flatter me, In the purple twilights under the sea; But the king of them all would carry me, Woo me, and win me, and marry me, |