First of May
1
Though clouds obscured the morning hour
And keen and eager blew the blast
And drizzling fell the cheerless shower
As doubtful to the skiff we passed.
2
All soon propitious to our prayer
Gave promise of a brighter day
The clouds dispers’d in purer air
The blast in zephyrs died away
3
So have we, Love, a day enjoy’d
On which we both — and yet who knows
May dwell with pleasure unalloy’d
And dread no thorn beneath the rose
4
How pleasant, from that dome crown’d hill
To view the varied scene below
Woods, ships, and spires, and lovelier still
The circling Thames’ majestic flow
5
How sweet as indolently laid
We overhang that long drawn dale
To watch the chequer’d light and shade
That glanc’d upon the shifting sail
6
And when the shadow’s rapid growth
Proclaim’d the noon tide hour expir’d
And though unwearied, nothing loath
We to our simple meal retired
7
The sportive wile, the blameless jest
The careless mind’s spontaneous flow
Gave to that simple meal a zest
Which richer tables may not know
8
The babe that on its mother’s breast
Has toy’d and wanton’d for a while
And sinking to unconscious rest
Looks up to catch a parting smile
9
Feels less assured than thou dear maid
Where ere thy ruby lips could part
(It’s close to mine thy cheek was laid,)
Thine eyes had open’d all thy heart
10
Then, thou, I mark’d the chasten’d joy
That lightly o’er thy features stole
From vows repaid (my sweet employ)
From truth from innocence of soul
11
While every word dropped on my ear
So soft (and yet it seems to thrill)
So sweet, that ’twas a heaven to hear
And e’en thy pause had musick still
12
And O, how like a fairy dream
To gaze in silence on the tide
While soft and warm the sunny gleam
Slept on the glassy surface wide
13
And many a thought of fancy bred
Wild, soothing, tender, undefin’d
Play’d lightly round the heart and shed
Delicious languour o’er the mind
14
So hours like moments wing’d their flight
Till now the Boatman on the shore
Impatient of the evening light
Recall’d us by the darking oar
15
Well Anna many days like this
I cannot, must not, hope to share
For I have found an hour of bliss
Still follow’d by an age of care
16
Yet oft when memory intervenes
But you dear maid be happy still
Nor e’er regret mid fairer scenes
The day we passed on Greenwich Hill
Cesareo