Summer Winds

The wind waves oer the meadows green

And shakes my own wild flowers

And shifts about the moving scene

Like the life of summer hours;

The little bents with reedy head,

The scarce seen shapes of flowers,

All kink about like skeins of thread

In these wind-shaken hours.

All stir and strife and life and bustle

In everything around one sees;

The rushes whistle, sedges rustle,

The grass is buzzing round like bees;

The butterflies are tossed about

Like skiffs upon a stormy sea;

The bees are lost amid the rout

And drop in their perplexity.

Wilt thou be mine, thou bonny lass?

Thy drapery floats so gracefully;

We'll walk along the meadow grass,

We'll stand beneath the willow tree.

We'll mark the little reeling bee

Along the grassy ocean rove,

Tossed like a little boat at sea,

And interchange our vows of love.