JONQUILS Oh here are cream jonquils! First harbinger of Spring Scented with strange haunting power Memories' gates open in my mind As joyful thoughts of childhood, cherished still Arise to surface at jonquils' finding! Once as sensitive child Now in mature late years Magic flowers, of fine form, perfumed Tantalise, turn me to gipsy When seen on vacant block, or roadside ditch I'll stop, to pick a wild bunch for my home.
I wish to recapture That innocent rapture Of a youth which is now long gone To inhale and reawaken Instinctive love for Nature- best of all So it's jonquils I've picked by the wayside...
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KATE She's a darling, this girl Kate With the clear, clear blue eyes She's young and she's happy She laughs and she never cries She's come as a visitor To our home on the hill I'm glad to have her here, Here with me and my dear Bill.
She's so sweet, this young girl Kate As she sits and reads, sews Frill on her petticoat Though not needed, heaven knows! She's so lovely, young and free She's pretty and she's slim (Wonder if Bill's aware He is not so very trim?) My Bill looks at her, this Kate With his fine deep brown eyes (Often see him smiling...
Sometimes gazing at the skies) She's so pretty, little Kate Cherry red her curved lips And slim as a fine reed With such slender little hips! She tempts the boys I'll wager Though she doesn't seem care Happy being single Kate with her long, blended hair She'll soon have a nice husband Sharing home on some hill She'll need to marry soon (I'm so glad I've got my Bill) My Bill's attentive and kind Takes her too on his round Tending sheep, checking fence (Her skin's getting very browned!) She's full of life, this girl Kate She laughs and flirts to kill Boys seem to adore her (Though he'd better not, my Bill!) Her Mother is my good friend Not seen her for a while She lives at Tenterford Far from us by sixty mile.
Such a pretty lass, this Kate With the dancing blue eyes She's always just happy And she never, never cries! Kate's pretty, blonde and so sweet Home with us, on our hill But I'll send her home soon ('fore she tears heart out of Bill.
) He looks close at her sometimes And I swear doesn't know He's fallen deep in love And won't want for her to go.
She's a dear girl, this girl Kate With the lovely blonde hair I wish she didn't blush When my Bill is standing there! We'd a quiet chat 'fore she left Me and Kate on the hill She's a wise girl, this Kate Seems she rejected my Bill! ..
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KISS-ME-QUICK This little flower is bright and quite enticing With its dainty inflorescence of pretty, pink florets Pink and deepening to a richer, special darkish red The leaves and stems a pale, complementary shade of green The latter adding altogether to its unique attraction Although only considered a "common" flower, I do believe Kiss-me-quick deserves more attention, belonging as it does To that past time when country maidens loved and named their local flora So, in a romantic turn of mood and mind they must be forgiven When they expressed their shy hearts' longings in floral ways - And in good faith I will remember how once in gentler days love was so conveyed And this little flower, not Red Valerian but as "Kiss me quick!" it will remain so all my days! ..
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LADY OF THE NIGHT And lo! when darkness yields to the uprising Light Soft with silken caress she winds her midnight cloak All of us assembled to await her passing Witness her being Light, though dark mantled is she.
Midnight were her tresses and midnight her dark eyes Radiant her nature, too bright for mortals' sight Cloaked was she kindly, dark raiments thus to shield us From the fierce brightness of her sovereign lord the Sun.
Faded, vision of the Dark Mother of the Moon Fading as the long first beams of pale sunlight shone Retiring serene, she gracefully must await Next evening's herald of her next night's visual state.
Now my dark Lady of the Night, cloak about her (I fancy smaller shadow cradled in her arms) Appears so caring, with tender, loving feelings ...
But my Gentle Lady, I can no longer see! With my eyes a-straining, my whole soul a-yearning I heard echo as if a thought from her to me I felt, I heard, I'm not sure which, but thus it seemed My mind illumined opened wide, for thus I dreamed.
Learning in wordless ways the plight of human soul And how it is that humans live and love and be And what happens when life ends at that we call death When souls are drawn into Her realm of Cosmic Sea.
From that Great Sea of Life, peaceful, vast, deep, and strange Baptised, refreshed, re-born we each must live again This time requires Her guidance and Her tender care Of those with fear and those of us who're not prepared Each from our separate sight perceives the Dark Lady I see Her beautiful, comfort guide we deserve...
Lo! time has passed - I now can only faintly see Remaining finest line of light and loving curve This, a precious, treasured glimpse of the Dark Angel As she gracious, surrenders to her lord the Sun Her gentle eyes in softness yielding to her lord Comforts me when it's time deep darkness be explored I'm intent to henceforth keep my sacred vigil In seeking subtle life as well as wisdom taught I will put full effort in my task of living Until the time comes to yield my personal will At last appointment with my Lady of the Night I will draw final breath - to go without a fight I'll let her release me, lovingly baptise me, In sweet forgetfulness within the Cosmic Sea.
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