Young folke now flocken in everywhere
To gather May buskets,[27] and smelling brere;
And home they hasten the posts to dight,
And all the kirk pillars, ere daylight:
With hawthorne buds, and sweet eglantine,
And garlands of roses, and sops-in-wine.
Sicker this morrow, no longer agoe,
I sawe a shole of shepherds outgoe
With singing and shouting, and jolly chere;
Before them rode a lustie tabrere,
That to the many a hornpipe played,
Wherto they dauncen, eche one with his mayd.
To see these folks make such jovisaunce
Made my heart after the pipe to daunce.
Tho to the greene-wood they speeden hem all,
To fetchen home May with their musicall,
And home they bringen, in a royall throne,
Crowned as king, and his queen attone
Was Lady Flora, on whome did attend
A fayre flock of faeries, and a fresh band
Of lovely nymphs. O that I were there
To helpen the ladies their May-bush beer!
[27] Bushes.
Herrick’s poem is in the form of a lover inviting his sweetheart to go out a May-gathering.
CORINNA’S GOING A-MAYING.
Get up, get up for shame: the blooming morn
Upon her wings presents the God unshorn:
See how Aurora throws her fair
Fresh-quilted colours through the air:
Get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see
The dew bespangling herb and tree.
Each flower has wept and bowed towards the east
Above an hour ago, yet you not dressed:
Nay, not so much as out of bed
When all the birds have matins said,
And sung their thankful hymns; ’tis sin,
Nay, profanation to keep in;
When as a thousand virgins on this day
Spring sooner than the lark to fetch in May!
Rise and put on your foliage, and be seen
To come forth like the spring time, fresh and green,
And sweet as Flora. Take no care
For jewels for your crown, or hair;
Fear not, the leaves will strew
Gems in abundance upon you:
Besides, the childhood of the day has kept,
Against you come, some orient pearls unwept.
Come and receive them, while the light
Hangs on the dew-locks of the night,
And Titan, on the eastern hill
Retires himself, or else stands still
Till you come forth. Wash, dress, be brief in praying;
Few beads are best when once we go a-Maying!
Come, my Corinna, come, and coming mark
How each field turns a street, each street a park,
Made green and trimmed with trees; see how
Devotion gives each house a bough,
A branch; each porch, and door, ere this,
An ark, a tabernacle is,
Made up of whitethorn, neatly interwove,
As if here were those cooler shades of love.
Can such delights be in the street,
And open fields, and we not see ’t?
Come, we’ll abroad, and let’s obey
The proclamation made for May;
And sin no more, as we have done, by staying;
But my Corinna, come, let’s go a-Maying!
There’s not a budding boy or girl, this day,
But is got up and gone to bring in May:
A deal of youth, ere this, is come
Back, and with whitethorn laden home:
Some have despatched their cakes and cream,
Before that we have left to dream;
And some have wept, and wooed, and plighted troth,
And chose their priest, ere we can cast off sloth.
Many a green gown has been given;
Many a kiss both odd and even;
Many a glance too has been sent
From out the eye, love’s firmament;
Many a jest told, of the key’s betraying
This night, and locks picked; yet we’re not a-Maying!
Come, let us go while we are in our prime,
And take the harmless folly of the time;
We shall grow old apace, and die
Before we know our liberty:
Our life is short, and our days run
As fast away as does the sun:
And as a vapour or a drop of rain,
Once lost can ne’er be formed again:
So when, or you or I are made
A fable, song, or fleeting shade;
All love, all liking, all delight,
Lie down with us in endless night,
Then, while time serves, and we are but decaying,
Come, my Corinna, come, let’s go a-Maying!