Love poems for February

[trinkie]

DIAPHENIA. by Henry Constable

Diaphenia like the daffodowndilly
White as the sun, pure as the lily,
Heigh Ho, how I do love thee!
I do love thee as my lambs
Are beloved of their dams,
How blest were I if thou wouldst prove me.

Diaphenia, like the spreading roses,
That in thy sweets all sweets encloses,
Fair sweet, how I do love thee!
I do love thee as each flower
Loves the sun's life-giving power,
For, dead, thy breath to life might move me.

Diaphenia, like to all things blessed,
When all thy praises are expressed,
Dear joy, how I do love thee,
As the birds do love the Spring
Or the bees their careful king,
Then in requite, sweet virgin, love me !
........................................
My true-love Hath My Heart. by Sir Philip Sidney.

My true-love hath my heart, and I have his,
By just exchange one for the other given,
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss,
There never was a better bargain driven.

His heart in me keeps me and him in one,
My heart in him his thoughts and senses guides,
He loves my heart, for once it was his own,
I cherish his because in me it hides.

His heart his wound received from my sight,
My heart was wounded with his wounded heart.
For as from me on him his heart did light,
So still methought in me his heart did smart.

Both equal hurt, in this change sought our bliss,
My true-love have my heart, and I have his.
..............................................

It Was the Time of Roses. by Thomas Hood.

It was not in the winter
Our loving lot was cast ;
It was the time of roses -
We plucked them as we passed !
That churlish season never frowned
On early lovers yet !

O no, the world was newly crowned
With flowers, when we first met.
'Twas twilight, and I bade you go,
But still you held me fast,
It was the time of roses -
We plucked them as we passed .....
.................................................. .

I'll Overtake Thee. author unknown

I'll weave my love a garland,
He shall be dressed so fine.
I'll set it round with roses,
With lilies, pinks and thyme,
And I'll present it to my love,
When he comes back from sea;
For I love my love, and I love my love
Because my love loves me.

I wish I were an arrow
That sped into the air,
To seek him as a sparrow
And if he be not there
Then quickly I'd become a fish
To search the raging sea;
For I love my love, and I love me love
Because my love loves me .

I would I were a reaper,
I'd seek him in the corn;
I would I were a keeper,
I'd hunt him with my horn,
I'd blow a blast, when found at last,
Beneath the greenwood tree,
For I love my love, and I love my love,
Because my love loves me.
.......................................

[trinkie]

Down by the Salley Gardens. by W B Yeats

Down by the Salley Gardens my love and I did meet;
She passed the Salley Gardens with little snow-white feet,
She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree;
But I, being young and foolish, with her would not agree.

In a field by the river my love and I did stand,
And on my leaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand,
She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs;
But I was young and foolish, and now am full of tears.
.................................................. .

Many a Flower by M E Coleridge.

Many a flower have I seen blossom,
Many a bird for me will sing
Never heard I so sweet a singer
Never saw I so fair a thing.

She is a bird, a bird that blossoms,
She is a flower, a flower that sings;
And I a flower when I behold her,
And when I hear her, I have wings.

.......................................
When June is Come by Robert Bridges

When June is come, then all the day,
I'll sit with my love in the scented hay,
And watch the sunshot palaces high,
That the white clouds build in the breezy sky.

She singeth, and I do make her a song,
And read sweet poems the whole day long,
Unseen as we lie in our hay-built home.
Oh, life is delight when June is come.
.....................................

My Wife by R L Stevenson.

Trusty, dusky, vivid, true,
With eyes of gold and bramble-dew,
Steel-true and blade-straight
The great artificer
Made my mate.

Honour, anger, valour, fire;
A love that life could never tire,
Death quench or evil stir,
The mighty master
Gave to her.

Teacher, tender, comrade, wife,
A fellow-farer true through life,
Heart-whole and soul-free,
The august father
Gave to me.

( Girls, I must tell you - he loved her being so PLUMP ! The plumper she got , the more he loved her ! )
............................

When You Are Old. by W B Yeats

When you are old and gray and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep.

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face.

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled,
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
...........................................

[Sporran]

A RED, RED ROSE by Robert Burns

O my luve’s like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June.
O my luve’s like the melodie,
That’s sweetly play’d in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only luve!
And fare-thee-weel, a while!
And I will come again, my luve,
Tho’ it were ten thousand mile!

[trinkie]

Thank you Sporran - Burns is surely the best...
.................................................. .........


To His Wife ... by General Su Wu . c.100BC
translated by Arthur Waley.

Since my hair was plaited and we became man and wife
The love between us was never broken by doubt.
So let us me merry this night together,
Feasting and playing while the good time lasts.

I suddenly remember the distance I must travel;
I spring from bed and look out to see the time,
The stars and planets are all grown dim in the sky.
Long, long is the road; I cannot stay.
I am going on service, away to the battle-ground,
And I do not know when I shall be back.

I hold your hand with only a deep sigh;
Afterwards, tears - in the days when we are parted.
With all your might enjoy the spring flowers,
But do not forget the time of our love and pride.
Know that if I live, I will come back again,
And if I die, we will go on thinking of each other.
...........................................
Parting from Su Wu.

The good time will never come again
In a moment our parting will be over.
Beside the cross-road we faltered, uneasily,
In the open fields we paused, hand on hand.

The clouds above are floating across the sky.
Swiftly, swiftly passing; or blending together.
The waves in the wind lose their fixed place
And are rolled away each to a corner of Heaven.

From now onwards long must be out parting,
So let us stop again for a little while.
I wish I could ride on the wings of the morning wind
And go with you right to your journey's end.
.................................................. .

Li Ling and Su Wu were both prisoners in the land of the Huns.
After nineteen years Su Wu was released. Li Ling would not go back with him....

[Lavenderblue2]

Sweethearts

A whustlin’ laddie new left schule,
A lssie airtin’ hame,
Wee Cupid waitin’ up the hill –
Love’s aye the same.

I saw a halflin’ wi’ his lass
Yae nicht when daunnerin’ hame;
I heard the lauch and sly kiss pass –
Love’s aye the same.

A buirdly man ahint the ploo,
A wife to keep the hame,
Fower bonnie bairns, life’s bicker fu’ –
Love’s aye the same.

A sunset in a gowden sky,
The twaesome nearly hame,
Anither kiss, a lang guid-bye –
Love’s aye the same.

Gilbert Rae.

[Lavenderblue2]

Mary’s Song

I wad ha’e gi’en him my lips tae kiss,
Had I been his, had I been his;
Barley breid and elder wine,
Had I been his as he is mine.

The wanderin’ bee it seeks the rose;
Tae the lochan’s bosom the burnie goes;
The grey bird cries at evenin’s fa’,
“My luve, my fair one, come awa’.”

My beloved sall ha’e this he’rt tae break,
Reid, reid wine and the barley cake,
A he’rt tae break, and a mou’ tae kiss,
Tho’ he be nae mine, as I am his.

Marion Angus

[Lavenderblue2]

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

[helenwyler]

[quote=trinkie;337761]DIAPHENIA. by Henry Constable

Diaphenia like the daffodowndilly
White as the sun, pure as the lily,
Heigh Ho, how I do love thee!
I do love thee as my lambs
Are beloved of their dams,
How blest were I if thou wouldst prove me.

Hi trinkie!

Have you heard John Coates singing this? We have it on a 78...thanks for reminding me.

[trinkie]

Hi Helenwyler,

No, I haven't heard John Coates sing that.
I used to sing it myself in a choir I belonged to long ago, can't remember who arranged it.

There are quite a few recordings from the old English collections.
I see from the back of one of my books Cecil Sharp and Maud Karpeles went to the Southern Appalachians in 1916-1918 to collect old songs which had been handed down word of mouth from forefathers who had emigrated.
I have a dulcimer, and have noticed in such music books many old English songs coming from the Appalachians... good that they go round and round !

Keep singing !
Trinkie

[helenwyler]

Hi again Trinkie

The recording we have was arranged by Whittaker, with Gerald Moore at the piano in 1928. I wish I could let you hear it...lovely! I'm very impressed you have a dulcimer! I've never heard one 'live' though I like the hammered dulcimer very much.

Helen

[trinkie]

A Birthday by Christina Rossetti.

My heart is like a singing bird
Whose nest is in a watered shoot;
My heart is like an apple tree
Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit.
My heart is like a rainbow shell
That paddles in a halcyon sea;
My heart is gladder than all these
Because my love is come to me.

Raise me a dais of silk and down;
Hang it with vair and purple dyes,
Carve it in doves and pomegranates,
And peacocks with a hundred eyes,
Work it with gold and silver grapes,
In leaves and silver fleur-de-lys;
Because the birthday of my life
Is come, my love is come to me.

[Cedric Farthsbottom III]

A belated valentine because it is one day later
A belated valentine because in ma heart is left a crater
A belated valentine cos whilst oot walking the dog
A belated valentine cos it was in a riverside bog

A belated valentine because it rang so true
A belated valentine because it reminds me of you
A belated valentine cos the guy who wrote the letter
A belated valentine cos his wife had found someone better

A belated valentine because he began to shiver
A belated valentine as he was found dead in the river
A belated valentine cos dear we plonder often
A belated valentine cos did our hearts soften

A belated valentine because I know for sure
A belated valentine because our love is pure
A belated valentine for enduring the strife
A belated valentine my oh most beautiful wife

xx Ced.

[trinkie]

My Love in her Attire doth show Wit.
Anon.

My love in her attire doth show her wit,
It doth so well become her:
For every season she hath dressings fit,
For Winter, Spring, and Summer.
No beauty she doth miss
When all her robes are on:
But Beauty’s self she is
When all her robes are gone.

[Lavenderblue2]

I was reminded of this beautiful love song tonight -I think it fits in well with this thread.

Darling, I am growing old,
Silver threads among the gold
Shine upon my brow today;
Life is fading fast away;
But, my darling, you will be, will be,
Always young and fair to me,
Yes, my darling, you will be,
Always young and fair to me.


Chorus:
Darling, I am growing old,
Silver threads among the gold,
Shine upon my brow today;
Life is fading fast away.


When your hair is silver white,
And your cheeks no longer bright,
With the roses of the May;
I will kiss your lips and say-
Oh! my darling, mine alone, alone,
You have never older grown,
Yes, my darling, mine alone,
You have never older grown.
Chorus:

Love can never more grow old,
Locks may lose their brown and gold,
Cheeks may fade and hollow grow,
But the hearts that love will know
Never, never, winter's frost and chill:
Summer warmth is in them still-
Never winter's frost and chill,
Summer warmth is in them still.
Chorus:

Love is always young and fair,-
What to us is silver hair,
Faded cheeks or steps grown slow,
To the heart that beats below?
Since I kissed you, mine alone, alone,
You have never older grown-
Since I kissed you, mine alone,
You have never older grown.
Chorus:


LB

[trinkie]

Lavenderblue2 ... I have been singing that song all day !
Thank you for putting it on......
.................................................. ............

Is there a John Anderson in the house ? This is for you !



John Anderson my jo
By Robert Burns

John Anderson my jo, John
When we were first acquent,
Your locks were like the raven
Your bonnie brow was brent;
But now your brow is beld John,
Your locks are like the snow,
But blessings on your frosty prow,
John Anderson, my jo.

John Anderson my jo, John
We clamb the hill the gither,
And mony a canty day, John,
We’ve had wi’ ane anither,
Now ye maun totter down, John,
And hand in hand we’ll go,
And sleep the gither at the foot,
John Anderson, my jo.

[trinkie]

There is a Lady Sweet and Kind
By Thomas Ford.
1580 - 1648. English


There is a lady sweet and kind
Was never face so pleased my mind;
I did but see her passing by,
And yet I love her till I die.

Her gesture, motion, and her smiles,
Her wit, her voice, my heart beguiles,
Beguiles my heart, I know not why,
And yet I love her till I die…..

Cupid is winged and doth range
Her country so my love doth change;
But change she earth, or change she sky,
Yet will I love her till I die.

[trinkie]

The Shepherdess
By A Meynell

She walks – the lady of my delight –
A shepherdess of sheep.
Her flocks are thoughts. She keeps them white ;
She guards them from steep ;
She feeds them on the fragrant height,
And folds the in for sleep.

She roams maternal hills and bright,
Dark valleys safe and deep.
Into that tender breast at night
The chastest stars may peep.
She walks – the lady of my delight –
A shepherdess of sheep.

She holds her little thoughts in sight.
Though gay they run and leap.
She is so circumspect and right ;
She has her soul to keep,
She walks – the lade of my delight –
A shepherdess of sheep.

[trinkie]

I Will Not Let Thee Go.
by Robert Bridges.

I will not let thee go.
Ends all our month-long love in this?
Can it be summed up so,
Quit in a single kiss?
I will not let thee go.

I will not let thee go
If thy words' breath could scare thy deeds,
As the soft south can blow,
And toss the feathered seeds,
Then might I let thee go.

I will not let thee go.
Had not the great sun seen, I might,
Or were he reckoned slow
To bring the false to light,
Then might I let thee go.
I will not let thee go.

The stars that crowd the summer skies,
Have watched us so below,
With all their million eyes.
I dare not let thee go.

I will not let thee go.
Have we not chid the changeful lmoon,
Now rising late, and now
Because she set too soon,
And shall I let thee go?

I will not let thee go.
Have not the young flowers been content,
Plucked ere their buds could blow,
To seal our sacrament?
I cannot let thee go.

I will not let thee go.
I hold thee by too many bands ;
Thou sayest farewell, and lo !
I have thee by the hands,
And will not let thee go.

[trinkie]

The Tryst
By William Soutar 1898 – 1943
( Perth )

O luely, luely cam she in
And luely she lay doun;
I kent her by her caller lips
And her breists sae sma’ and roun’.

A’ thru’ the nicht we spak nae word
Nor sinder’d bane frae bane;
A’ thru the nicht I heard her hert
Gang soundin’ wi’ my ain.

It was about the waukrife hour
Whan cocks begin to craw
That she smool’d saftly thru the mirk
Afore the day wud daw.

Sae luely, luely, cam she in
Sae leuly was she gaen
And wi’ her a’ my simmer days
Like they had never been.

[trinkie]

She Moved Through the Fair
By Padraic Colum

My young love said to me ‘My brothers won’t mind,
And my parents won’t slight you for your lack of kind.’
Then she stepped away from me, and this she did say,
‘It will not be long love, till our wedding day.’

She stepped away from me and she moved through the fair.
And fondly I watched her go here and go there,
Then she went her way homeward with one star awake,
As the swan in the evening moves over the lake.

The people were saying no two were e’er wed,
But one had a sorrow that never was said.
And I smiled as she passed with her goods and her gear,
And that was the last that I saw of my dear.

I dreamt it last night that my young love came in,
So softly she entered, her feet made no din,
She came close beside me, and this she did say,
‘It will not be long love, till our wedding day.’