The Poetical Writings of Fitz-Greene Halleck/Song

by Fitz-Greene Halleck

SONG.

TO MISS * * * *.

Air: “To ladies’ eyes a round, boy.”

Moore.

he winds of March are humming
Their parting song, their parting song,
And summer skies are coming,
And days grow long, and days grow long.
I watch, but not in gladness,
Our garden-tree, our garden-tree;
It buds, in sober sadness,
Too soon for me, too soon for me.
My second winter’s over,
Alas! and I, alas! and I
Have no accepted lover:
Don’t ask me why, don’t ask me why.

’Tis not asleep or idle
That Love has been, that Love has been;
For many a happy bridal
The year has seen, the year has seen;
I’ve done a bridemaid’s duty,
At three or four, at three or four;
My best bouquet had beauty,
Its donor more, its donor more.

My second winter’s over,
Alas! and I, alas! and I
Have no accepted lover:
Don’t ask me why, don’t ask me why.

His flowers my bosom shaded
One sunny day, one sunny day;
The next they fled and faded,
Beau and bouquet, beau and bouquet.
In vain, at balls and parties,
I’ve thrown my net, I’ve thrown my net;
This waltzing, watching heart is
Unchosen yet, unchosen yet.
My second winter’s over,
Alas! and I, alas! and I
Have no accepted lover:
Don’t ask me why, don’t ask me why.

They tell me there’s no hurry
For Hymen’s ring, for Hymen’s ring;
And I’m too young to marry:
’Tis no such thing, ’tis no such thing.
The next spring-tides will dash on
My eighteenth year, my eighteenth year;
It puts me in a passion,
Oh, dear, oh dear! oh dear, oh dear!
My second winter’s over,
Alas! and I, alas! and I
Have no accepted lover:
Don’t ask me why, don’t ask me why.