C.D. Warner, et al., comp. The Library of the World’s Best Literature.
An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.

Amy’s Song of the Willow

From ‘Balder’

THE YEARS they come, and the years they go,

Like winds that blow from sea to sea;

From dark to dark they come and go,

All in the dew-fall and the rain.

Down by the stream there be two sweet willows,

—Hush thee, babe, while the wild winds blow,—

One hale, one blighted, two wedded willows,

All in the dew-fall and the rain.

She is blighted, the fair young willow;

—Hush thee, babe, while the wild winds blow,—

She hears the spring-blood beat in the bark;

She hears the spring-leaf bud on the bough;

But she bends blighted, the wan weeping willow,

All in the dew-fall and the rain.

The stream runs sparkling under the willow,

—Hush thee, babe, while the wild winds blow,—

The summer rose-leaves drop in the stream;

The winter oak-leaves drop in the stream;

But she bends blighted, the wan weeping willow,

All in the dew-fall and the rain.

Sometimes the wind lifts the bright stream to her,

—Hush thee, babe, while the wild winds blow,—

The false stream sinks, and her tears fall faster;

Because she touched it her tears fall faster;

Over the stream her tears fall faster,

All in the sunshine or the rain.

The years they come, and the years they go;

Sing well-away, sing well-away!

And under mine eyes shines the bright life-river;

Sing well-away, sing well-away!

Sweet sounds the spring in the hale green willow,

The goodly green willow, the green waving willow,

Sweet in the willow, the wind-whispering willow;

Sing well-away, sing well-away!

But I bend blighted, the wan weeping willow,

All in the sun, and the dew, and the rain.