| |
| IF love were what the rose is, | |
| And I were like the leaf, | |
| Our lives would grow together | |
| In sad or singing weather, | |
| Blown fields or flowerful closes, | 5 |
| Green pleasure or gray grief; | |
| If love were what the rose is, | |
| And I were like the leaf. | |
| |
| If I were what the words are, | |
| And love were like the tune, | 10 |
| With double sound and single | |
| Delight our lips would mingle, | |
| With kisses glad as birds are | |
| That get sweet rain at noon; | |
| If I were what the words are, | 15 |
| And love were like the tune. | |
| |
| If you were life, my darling, | |
| And I your love were death, | |
| We’d shine and snow together | |
| Ere March made sweet the weather | 20 |
| With daffodil and starling | |
| And hours of fruitful breath; | |
| If you were life, my darling, | |
| And I your love were death. | |
| |
| If you were thrall to sorrow, | 25 |
| And I were page to joy, | |
| We’d play for lives and seasons | |
| With loving looks and treasons | |
| And tears of night and morrow | |
| And laughs of maid and boy; | 30 |
| If you were thrall to sorrow, | |
| And I were page to joy. | |
| |
| If you were April’s lady, | |
| And I were lord in May, | |
| We’d throw with leaves for hours | 35 |
| And draw for days with flowers, | |
| Till day like night were shady | |
| And night were bright like day; | |
| If you were April’s lady, | |
| And I were lord in May. | 40 |
| |
| If you were queen of pleasure, | |
| And I were king of pain, | |
| We’d hunt down love together, | |
| Pluck out his flying-feather, | |
| And teach his feet a measure, | 45 |
| And find his mouth a rein; | |
| If you were queen of pleasure, | |
| And I were king of pain. | |
| |
