One sunniest morn among youth's sunny days
When all the light of life—like that which passed
The eastern panes, and tinted glories cast—
Was summerhued for me with rainbow rays.

One happiest hour in all the hours I've knelt
And prayed for happiness. All sorrow-pain
That ever saddened me returned in vain:
Life's burden fell when love unloosed the belt.

The holiest time in church I ever spent;
Not there to rest awhile and idly think
Or dream, but every word with thought to link.
For love was crowned in that new sacrament.

My face is as brown as a berry,
You'd never take me for a swell:
But that will not make me less merry,
So long as my girl loves me well.

That kettle is just like your lover:
Outside 'tis as ugly as sin;
But go now, and lift up the cover—
Perhaps there's a chicken within.

And look at that hedgehog out yonder:
He's ugly enough for a show;
And his bristles, why, they are a wonder—
And yet he's good eating, you know.

So if you will marry me early—
So if you'll be gentle and true—
You'll find that I'll love you as dearly

Daisies, does he love me?
Daisies, tell me true.
“Loves me does not love me”
That will never do!
Why, you know, you daisies,
Whatever you may say,
He stole that knot of riband
I wore the other day.

Daisies, one more trial;
Let your petals fall.
“Loves me does not love me
Loves me,” after all!
Thank you, darling daisies,
And if it ends that way
I'll wear you in a garland
Upon my wedding day.

Love should be pure and passionate, a thing
Of flame and flowers frail, elusive, bright,
A sudden splendour, a most proud delight,
Tender as flowers by day,
And fierce as fire by night,
A singing wonder ever on the wing,
A magical, mad mood too sweet to stay.

Love is an inspiration which reveals
The grace of the beloved to our glad eyes,
So we who worship vehemently are wise,
Since shy, strange beauty slips
For us her dark disguise;
And softly from her secret hiding steals,
And passion comes to us with laughing lips.

Love me little, love me long,
Is the burden of my song:
Love that is too hot and strong
Burneth soon to waste.
I am with little well content,
And a little from thee sent
Is enough, with true intent,
To be steadfast friend.
Love me little, love me long,
Is the burden of my song.

Say thou lov'st me while thou live,
I to thee my love will give,
Never dreaming to deceive
While that life endures:
Nay, and after death in sooth,
I to thee will keep my truth,
As now when in my May of youth,
This my love assures.

One's own lips are his heart's best enemies,
And their report True Love but faintly heeds:
O Friend, forget both words and silences,
And learn to read great love in little deeds!

The blooming flowers, the galaxies of space,
Lie pictured in a sheeny drop of even;
And globed in one round word, on lips of grace,
Shine out the best of earth and all of heaven.

Oh ! I vu'st know'd o' my true love,
As the bright moon up above,
Though her brightness wer my pleasure,
She wer heedless o' my love.
Tho' 'twer all gaÿ to my eyes,
Where her feäir feäce did arise,
She noo mwore thought upon my thoughts,
Than the high moon in the skies.

Oh! I vu'st heärd her a-zingèn,
As a sweet bird on a tree,
Though her zingèn wer my pleasure,
'Twer noo zong she zung to me.
Though her sweet vaïce that wer nigh,
Meäde my wild heart to beat high,
She noo mwore thought upon my thoughts,
Than the birds would passers by.

Beyond the north wind lay the land of old
Where men dwelt blithe and blameless, clothed and fed
With joy's bright raiment and with love's sweet bread,
The whitest flock of earth's maternal fold.
None there might wear about his brows enrolled
A light of lovelier fame than rings your head,
Whose lovesome love of children and the dead
All men give thanks for: I far off behold
A dear dead hand that links us, and a light
The blithest and benignest of the night,
The night of death's sweet sleep, wherein may be
A star to show your spirit in present sight

1. There is no name so sweet on earth, No name so sweet in heaven,
The name before his wondrous birth, To Christ the Saviour given.
For there's no word ears ever heard So dear, so sweet as Jesus.
We love to sing around our King, And hail him blessed Jesus.

2. And when he hung upon the tree,
They wrote this name above him,
That all might see the reason we
For evermore must love him.

3. So now, upon his Father's throne,
Almighty to release us
From sin and pains, he ever reigns,
The Prince and Saviour Jesus.