Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE MESSAGE, FR. THE FAIR MAID OF THE EXCHANGE, by THOMAS HEYWOOD Poet's Biography First Line: Ye little birds that sit and sing Last Line: Return with pleasant warblings. Variant Title(s): To Phyliss;song Subject(s): Birds; Love | ||||||||
YE little birds that sit and sing Amidst the shady valleys, And see how Phyllis sweetly walks Within her garden-alleys; Go, pretty birds, about her bower; Sing, pretty birds, she may not lower; Ah me! methinks I see her frown! Ye pretty wantons, warble. Go tell her through your chirping bills, As you by me are bidden, To her is only known my love, Which from the world is bidden. Go, pretty birds, and tell her so; See that your notes strain not too low, For still methinks I see her frown; Ye pretty wantons, warble. Go tune your voices' harmony And sing, I am her lover; Strain loud and sweet, that every note With sweet content may move her: And she that hath the sweetest voice, Tell her I will not change my choice: --Yet still methinks I see her frown! Ye pretty wantons, warble. O fly! make haste! see, see, she falls Into a pretty slumber! Sing round about her rosy bed That waking she may wonder. Say to her, 'tis her lover true That sendeth love to you, to you; And when you hear her kind reply Return with pleasant warblings. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE INVENTION OF LOVE by MATTHEA HARVEY TWO VIEWS OF BUSON by ROBERT HASS A LOVE FOR FOUR VOICES: HOMAGE TO FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN by ANTHONY HECHT AN OFFERING FOR PATRICIA by ANTHONY HECHT LATE AFTERNOON: THE ONSLAUGHT OF LOVE by ANTHONY HECHT A SWEETENING ALL AROUND ME AS IT FALLS by JANE HIRSHFIELD |
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