Thistledown

If thou wilt hold my silver hair,
O Lady sweet and bright;
I'll bring thee, maiden darling, where
Thy lover is to-night.
Lay down thy robe of cloth of gold-
Gold, weigheth heavily,
Thy necklace wound in jewell'd fold,
And hie thee forth with me.

O Thistle-down, dear Thistle-down,
I've laid my robe aside;
My necklace and my jewell'd crown,
And yet I cannot glide
Along the silver crests of night
With thee, light thing, with thee.
Rain would I try the airy flight,
What sayest thou to me?

If thou wilt hold my silver hair,
O maiden fair and proud;
We'll float upon the purple air
High as yon lilied cloud.
There is a jewel weighs thy heart;
If thou with me wouldst glide
That cold, cold jewel place apart-
The jewel of thy pride!"

O Thistle-down, dear Thistle-down
That jewel part I've set;
With golden robe and shining crown
And cannot follow yet!
Fain would I clasp thy silver tress
And float on high with thee;
Yet somewhat me to earth doth press-
What sayest thou to me?

If thou wilt hold my silver hair
O lady, sweet and chaste;
We'll dance upon the sparkling air
And to thy lover haste.
A lily lies upon thy breast
Snow-white as it can be-
It holds thee strong-sweet, with the rest
Yield lilied chastity.

O Thistle-down, false Thistle-down
I've parted Pride and Gold;
Laid past my jewels and my crown-
My golden robings' fold.
I will not lay my lily past-
Love's light as vanity
When to the mocking wind is cast
The lily, Chastity.

Isabella Valancy Crawford


so ... think on ...

PS. If you look large you see droplets of dew on the silky hair ....