My Dainty Dame

My dainty Dame, my heart’s delight, Star of my watch, serene and bright; Come to the green wood, mild is May, Cosy the arbours, come away!

In me thy spouse and servant see, To silvan hall I’ll usher thee; Thy bed shall be the leaves heaped high, Thy organ’s note the cuckoo’s cry. Thy covert warm the kindly wood, No fairer form therein e’er stood. Thy dress, my beauteous gem, shall be Soft foliage stript from forest tree; The foliage best the forest bore, Served as a garb for Eve of yore. Thou, too, throughout the summer day Shalt rove around in Eve’s array. My Eve thou art, my ever dear, Thy Adam I’ll attend and cheer.

Come to the green wood, come away, The floor with grass and flowers is gay! There ’neath no tree shalt thou descry In churlish guise old jealousy. Fear not my love, afar is now The loon, thy tiresome lord, I trow; To all a jest amidst his clan He choler deals in Cardigan. Here, nestled nigh the sounding sea, In Ifor’s bush we’ll ever be. More bliss for us our fate propounds On Taf’s green banks than Teivi’s bounds; Thy caitiff wight is scarce aware Where now we lurk, my little fair. Ah! better here, in love’s sweet thrall, To hark the cuckoo’s hearty call, Than pine through life in castle hall!