English poem
Hunting Song
by John C. Saul
Waken, lords and ladies gay! On the mountain dawns the day; All the jolly chase is here With hawk and horse and hunting-spear! Hounds are in their couples yelling, Hawks are whistling, horns are knelling. Merrily, merrily mingle they; Waken, lords and ladies gay!
Waken, lords and ladies gay! The mist has left the mountain gray; Springlets in the dawn are steaming, Diamonds on the brake are gleaming, And foresters have busy been To track the buck in thicket green: Now we come to chant our lay; Waken, lords and ladies gay!
Waken, lords and ladies gay! To the greensward haste away! We can show you where he lies, Fleet of foot and tall of size; We can show the marks he made When ’gainst the oak his antlers frayed; You shall see him brought to bay; Waken, lords and ladies gay!
Louder, louder chant the lay, “Waken, lords and ladies gay!” Tell them youth and mirth and glee Run a course as well as we. Time, stern huntsman! who can balk, Stanch as hound and fleet as hawk? Think of this, and rise with day, Gentle lords and ladies gay! --SIR WALTER SCOTT.