The Pretty Rose-Tree
Being weary of love,
I flew to the grove,
And chose me a tree of the fairest;
Saying, “Pretty Rose-tree,
“Thou my mistress shall be,
“And I’ll worship each bud thou bearest.
“For the hearts of this world are hollow,
“And fickle the smiles we follow;
“And ’tis sweet, when all
“Their witcheries pall
“To have a pure love to fly to:
“So, my pretty Rose-tree,
“Thou my mistress shalt be,
“And the only one now I shall sigh to.”
When the beautiful hue
Of thy cheek thro’ the dew
Of morning is bashfully peeping,
“Sweet tears,” I shall say
(As I brush them away),
“At least there’s no art in this weeping”
Altho thou shouldst die to-morrow;
’Twill not be from pain or sorrow;
And the thorns of thy stem
Are not like them
With which men wound each other;
So, my pretty Rose-tree,
Thou my mistress shalt be
And I’ll never again sigh to another.