The later poems of John Clare 1837-1864 ... General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger |
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SONG. ‘BONNY MARY’— |
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 | The later poems of John Clare |  |
SONG. ‘BONNY MARY’—
1
Dearest Mary! ever dearest!How lovely is the morning!
All is bright when thou appearest,
Come and we'll hail days dawning,
Where the oak tree, darkly shadows,
O'er the dew'y dasied grass,
Where the song of thrushes glad us,
There I'll court my bonny lass—
2
Let me clasp thee, bonny Mary,Underneath the dark oak bough,
Where the breeze comes light, and airy,
And quiet feeds the sheep, and cow,
Bonny Mary! let me clasp thee,
Where the ivied oak tree leans,
Oer the brambles, there I'll grasp thee,
And teach thee what true courtship means—
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3
Bonny Mary! maid the rarest!Plump and rosy—sweetest—dearest—
I'll clasp, and kiss thee as the fairest
Ever seen—With love sincerest
I'll caress thee, hear my pleading!
Thou art all the world to me:
All thy virtue's I've been heeding;
May gi' thy hand to me—
To, ‘Mary Ludgate’
| The later poems of John Clare | |