THE sun is in the western sky
And thro’ the barley, she—
Comes she, the apple of my eye,
The rose-cheeked Rosa Rea.
Away I slink the maid to meet,
As if I went away,
Alone to please a pair of feet
Resolved to go astray.
I whistle as I go, tho’ what
I cannot tell, but know
Right well my heart goes pit-a-pat
With every note I blow.
Anon, I, silent as the path
Whereon I tread become,
The power to blow my whistle, hath
Ta’en wing and left me dumb.
The lark’s loud lilt so bright and clear
Is ringing in the sky;
A dearer tune I hear—I hear
Two little feet draw nigh.
Two feet I hear approaching near
—Abashed I hing my head—
Two little feet a hornpipe beat,
Or is’t my heart instead?
A floweret I of scarlet dye
Espy as on I tread;
The maid who trips this way hath lips—
Two lips of richer red.
A floweret I, hard by espy,
A gem of azure hue;
The maid who hies this way hath eyes
Two eyes of sweeter blue.
Those tiny blooms my heart might steal,
Did not a spell profound
Now make my mortal reason reel,
Or make the world go round.
My senses swim, my sight grows dim,
A-near, more near her tread—
Her little feet a hornpipe beat,
Or is’t my heart instead?
Ah, do I dream? or do I now
Within the water near,
See, with a smile for me aglow,
The image of my dear?
Yes, in the clear bright pool a-near
I see her smile and—See!
Till night’s o’erhead, locked hand in hand
Stand I, and Rosa Rea!