John White Chadwick

A Wedding-Song

I SAID: "My heart, now let us sing a song
  For a fair lady on her wedding-day;
  Some solemn hymn or pretty roundelay,
That shall be with her as she goes along
  To meet her joy, and for her happy feet
  Shall make a pleasant music, low and sweet."

Then said my heart: "It is right bold of thee
  To think that any song that we could sing
  Would for this lady be an offering
Meet for such gladness as hers needs must be,
  What time she goes to don her bridal ring,
  And her own heart makes sweetest caroling."

And so it is that with my lute unstrung,
  Lady, I come to greet thy wedding-day;
  But once, methinks, I heard a poet say,
The sweetest songs remain for aye unsung.
  So mine, unsung, at thy dear feet I lay,
  And with a "Peace be with you!" go my way.