Classic Poem

1.

A neat young lady at work in the garden,
A gay young soldier came riding by.
He stepped up to this neat young lady
And says, " Kind Miss, won't you marry me? "

2.

" You're not a man of fancy honor,
You're not the man I was taking you to be,
Imposing on a neat young lady,
Saying, " Kind Miss, won't you marry me?"

3.

" I have a true love in the army,
He's been gone for seven long years;
And if he's gone for seven years longer,
No man on earth can marry me. "

4.

" Perhaps he's dead, perhaps he's drowned,
Perhaps he's on some battlefield slain,
Perhaps he's stolen some fair girl and married her,
Perhaps you'll never see him again. "

5.

" If he's dead I hope he's happy,
Or if he's on some battlefield slain,
Or if he has stolen some fair girl and married her,
I love that girl for loving him. "

6.

He drew his hands all out of his pockets,
And his fingers both neat and small;
And the rings that shone upon them,
Beneath her feet he let them fall.

7.

She picked them up on her little fingers;
The kisses she gave them was one, two, three,
Saying, " Is this my little single soldier,
Returning home to marry me? "