Classic Poem

'Twas of a lovely creature who dwelled by the seaside,
For her lovely form and features she was the village pride;
There was a young sea captain who Mary's heart would gain,
But she was true to Henry, was on the raging main.

'Twas in young Henry's absence this noble man he came
A-courting pretty Mary, but she refused the same.
She said, " I pray you begone, young man, your vows are all in vain,
Therefore begone, I love but one, he's on the raging main."

With mad desperation this noble man he said,
" To prove the separation I'll take her life away;
I'll watch her late and early and then alone," he cried,
" I'll send her body a-floating in the rippling tide."

This noble man was walking out to take the air,
Down by the rolling ocean he met the lady fair.
He said, " My pretty fair maid, you consent to be my bride,
Or you shall swim far from here in the rolling silvery tide."

With trembling limbs cried Mary, " My vows I never can break,
For Henry I dearly love and I'll die for his sweet sake."
With his handkerchief he bound her hands and plunged her in the main
And shrinking her body went floating in the rolling silvery tide.

It happened Mary's true love soon after came from sea,
Expecting to be happy and fixed the wedding day.
" We fear your true love's murdered," her aged parents cried,
" Or she caused her own destruction in the rolling silvery tide."

As Henry on his pillow lay he could not take no rest,
For the thoughts of pretty Mary disturbed his wounded breast.
He dreamed that he was walking down by a river side,
He saw his true love weeping in the rolling silvery tide.

Young Henry rose at midnight, at midnight gloom went he
To search the sandbanks over down by the raging sea.
At daybreak in the morning poor Mary's corpse he spied
As to and fro she was floating in the rolling silvery tide.

He knew it was his Mary by the ring upon her hand.
He untied the silk handkerchief which put him to a stand,
For the name of her cruel murderer was full thereon he spied,
Which proved who ended Mary's days in the rolling silvery tide.

This noble man was taken, the gallows was his doom
For ending pretty Mary's days, she had scarce attained her bloom.
Young Henry brokenhearted he wandered till he died.
His last words were for Mary in the rolling silvery tide.