VAGRANT SONGS

But yesterday the winds of MarchBent back the barren branches of the larch ...But O! to-dayThe bareness from the earth is swept away.Deep through my swelling breast I hearThe wild call of the gipsy time o' year—O, Vagrant Spring,Brother o' mine, I'm for the gipsying!The greening earth I stand uponTingles my feet: Brother, we must begone!Younger and younger,All my heart cries aloud with Wander-Hunger

But yesterday the winds of MarchBent back the barren branches of the larch ...But O! to-dayThe bareness from the earth is swept away.

But yesterday the winds of March

Bent back the barren branches of the larch ...

But O! to-day

The bareness from the earth is swept away.

Deep through my swelling breast I hearThe wild call of the gipsy time o' year—O, Vagrant Spring,Brother o' mine, I'm for the gipsying!

Deep through my swelling breast I hear

The wild call of the gipsy time o' year—

O, Vagrant Spring,

Brother o' mine, I'm for the gipsying!

The greening earth I stand uponTingles my feet: Brother, we must begone!Younger and younger,All my heart cries aloud with Wander-Hunger

The greening earth I stand upon

Tingles my feet: Brother, we must begone!

Younger and younger,

All my heart cries aloud with Wander-Hunger

Of troubles know I none,Of pleasures know I many—I rove beneath the sunWithout a single penny.A king might envy longThe fare my board adorning—Upon a throstle's songI broke my fast this morning;My lunch, a girl's quick smile,As I'm a living sinner;She walked with me a mile ...I kissed her for my dinner.Of troubles know I none,Of pleasures know I many—I fare beneath the sunWithout a single penny!

Of troubles know I none,Of pleasures know I many—I rove beneath the sunWithout a single penny.

Of troubles know I none,

Of pleasures know I many—

I rove beneath the sun

Without a single penny.

A king might envy longThe fare my board adorning—Upon a throstle's songI broke my fast this morning;

A king might envy long

The fare my board adorning—

Upon a throstle's song

I broke my fast this morning;

My lunch, a girl's quick smile,As I'm a living sinner;She walked with me a mile ...I kissed her for my dinner.

My lunch, a girl's quick smile,

As I'm a living sinner;

She walked with me a mile ...

I kissed her for my dinner.

Of troubles know I none,Of pleasures know I many—I fare beneath the sunWithout a single penny!

Of troubles know I none,

Of pleasures know I many—

I fare beneath the sun

Without a single penny!

III

O, how she laughs with me,Eats with me, quaffs with me,Smiles to me, sighs to me,Questions, replies to me,Answers my every mood,Finds good what I find good,Earth, the green Mother!Where shall man live and dieHaving my treasuryWhich never gold could buy—Water and air and skyAnd Earth's great sympathy—Save he do live as I?Join with me, Brother!If you be sickeningHere's for your quickening!Here at the heart of itYou shall be part of it,And the good smell of rainShall make you whole again—Join with me, Brother!Here the life-sap runs green,Here the life-ways are clean,Here just one bird that singsRe-starts your sluggish springs,Here under moon and sunYou, I and She are one,Earth, the green Mother!

O, how she laughs with me,

Eats with me, quaffs with me,

Smiles to me, sighs to me,

Questions, replies to me,

Answers my every mood,

Finds good what I find good,

Earth, the green Mother!

Where shall man live and die

Having my treasury

Which never gold could buy—

Water and air and sky

And Earth's great sympathy—

Save he do live as I?

Join with me, Brother!

If you be sickeningHere's for your quickening!Here at the heart of itYou shall be part of it,And the good smell of rainShall make you whole again—Join with me, Brother!Here the life-sap runs green,Here the life-ways are clean,Here just one bird that singsRe-starts your sluggish springs,Here under moon and sunYou, I and She are one,Earth, the green Mother!

If you be sickening

Here's for your quickening!

Here at the heart of it

You shall be part of it,

And the good smell of rain

Shall make you whole again—

Join with me, Brother!

Here the life-sap runs green,

Here the life-ways are clean,

Here just one bird that sings

Re-starts your sluggish springs,

Here under moon and sun

You, I and She are one,

Earth, the green Mother!

I lay me on the groundUnder the dark,And Heaven's purple arcDrew its deep curtains roundMy weary head and shut away the sound.The golden star-lights creptOver the hill ...I lay so very stillI heard them as they stepped ..."Sleep!" breathed the Earth. Upon her breast I slept.

I lay me on the ground

Under the dark,

And Heaven's purple arc

Drew its deep curtains round

My weary head and shut away the sound.

The golden star-lights crept

Over the hill ...

I lay so very still

I heard them as they stepped ...

"Sleep!" breathed the Earth. Upon her breast I slept.

I'll stay one night beneath your roof,And longer I will stay for no man,And as for love, I'm loving-proof—Turn by your eyes, White Woman.The Wander-fever's in my blood,I have no time for simple loving—The hot Earth is in roving mood,And I too must be roving.IfI should love you ... soon, ah, soonI'd break your heart to go a-roaming,And chasing shadows of the moonThink never once of homing.Why will you wring my breast with tears?Tears will not quench the Wander-fever.Why will you fill my soul with fearsWhen I will go for ever?I whom the Earth's green passions moveHave put away all passions human ...I will not love!... Idarenot love ...Turn by your eyes, White Woman.

I'll stay one night beneath your roof,And longer I will stay for no man,And as for love, I'm loving-proof—Turn by your eyes, White Woman.

I'll stay one night beneath your roof,

And longer I will stay for no man,

And as for love, I'm loving-proof—

Turn by your eyes, White Woman.

The Wander-fever's in my blood,I have no time for simple loving—The hot Earth is in roving mood,And I too must be roving.

The Wander-fever's in my blood,

I have no time for simple loving—

The hot Earth is in roving mood,

And I too must be roving.

IfI should love you ... soon, ah, soonI'd break your heart to go a-roaming,And chasing shadows of the moonThink never once of homing.

IfI should love you ... soon, ah, soon

I'd break your heart to go a-roaming,

And chasing shadows of the moon

Think never once of homing.

Why will you wring my breast with tears?Tears will not quench the Wander-fever.Why will you fill my soul with fearsWhen I will go for ever?

Why will you wring my breast with tears?

Tears will not quench the Wander-fever.

Why will you fill my soul with fears

When I will go for ever?

I whom the Earth's green passions moveHave put away all passions human ...I will not love!... Idarenot love ...Turn by your eyes, White Woman.

I whom the Earth's green passions move

Have put away all passions human ...

I will not love!... Idarenot love ...

Turn by your eyes, White Woman.

I went far and coldOver upland woldWhere the story of spring's breathingScarcely yet was told.Shifting monotoneOf the pale wind's moanThrough my hair at dusk went wreathing,And I walked alone.Far below and farWhere the homesteads areOne small ruddy candle twinkled,Warmer than a star.When the day was gone,Softly one by oneHoming-lights the valley sprinkled ...And I wandered on.

I went far and coldOver upland woldWhere the story of spring's breathingScarcely yet was told.Shifting monotoneOf the pale wind's moanThrough my hair at dusk went wreathing,And I walked alone.

I went far and cold

Over upland wold

Where the story of spring's breathing

Scarcely yet was told.

Shifting monotone

Of the pale wind's moan

Through my hair at dusk went wreathing,

And I walked alone.

Far below and farWhere the homesteads areOne small ruddy candle twinkled,Warmer than a star.When the day was gone,Softly one by oneHoming-lights the valley sprinkled ...And I wandered on.

Far below and far

Where the homesteads are

One small ruddy candle twinkled,

Warmer than a star.

When the day was gone,

Softly one by one

Homing-lights the valley sprinkled ...

And I wandered on.

Back to Index Next