The leathery pears and apples Robin, Robin Redbreast, And what will this poor Robin do? The fireside for the cricket, The wheat-stack for the mouse, When trembling night-winds whistle And moan all round the house; The frosty ways like iron, The branches plumed with snow— Robin, Robin Redbreast, And a crumb of bread for Robin, His little heart to cheer. Allingham. I REMEMBER. I remember, I remember, I remember, I remember, I remember, I remember, And thought the air must rush as fresh, My spirit flew in feathers then, And summer pools could hardly cool I remember, I remember, To know I'm further off from heaven Hood. THE MAY QUEEN. You must wake and call me early, call me early, mother dear; To-morrow 'ill be the happiest time of all the glad New-year; Of all the glad New-year, mother, the maddest merriest day; For I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. There's many a black black eye, they say, but none so bright as mine; There's Margaret and Mary, there's Kate and Caroline : But none so fair as little Alice in all the land they say, So I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. I sleep so sound all night, mother, that I shall never wake, If you do not call me loud when the day begins to break : But I must gather knots of flowers, and buds and garlands gay, For I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. As I came up the valley whom think ye should I see, But Robin leaning on the bridge beneath the hazel-tree? He thought of that sharp look, mother, I gave him yesterday,— But I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. He thought I was a ghost, mother, for I was all in white, And I ran by him without speaking, like a flash of light. They call me cruel-hearted, but I care not what they say, For I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. They say he's dying all for love, but that can never be : They say his heart is breaking, mother-what is that to me? There's many a bolder lad 'ill woo me any summer day, And I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. Little Effie shall go with me to-morrow to the green, And you will be there, too, mother, to see me made the Queen ; For the shepherd lads on every side will come from far away, And I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. |