STANZAS—
[I would not pull a weed away]
1
I would not pull a weed away
Where she stooped down to see
I would not pull a branch of may
Where she admired the tree
2
Like any child her quiet mind
Had love for every thing
The dangerous of the reptile kind
She never feared a sting
3
Upon a worm I would not tread
Nor even crush the snake
For she would stroke its spotted head
And leave it in the brake
4
I would not wrong the meanest thing
That she had deign'd to touch
To every flower my eyes would cling
I loved her smiles so much
5
I had love for all she looked upon
And love for all she did
The roads looked love where she had gone
As stranger paths ne'er did
6
The valley where I saw her gown
Floating in the wind
A shower of may-bloom snowing down
Is pictured on my mind
7
I saw her by the river sedge
In green gown floating gay
The may bloom winnowed from the hedge
And whitened all the way
