W, Wordsworth



CCLXXXV

HUNTING SONG

Waken, lords and ladies gay,

On the mountain dawns the day ;

All the jolly chase is here

With hawk and horse and hunting-spear ;

Hounds are in their couples yelling.
Hawks are whistling, horns are knelling,

Merrily merrily mingle they,

* Waken, lords and ladies gay.*

Waken, lords and ladies gay.
The mist has left the mountain gray,

Springlets in the dawn are steaming.
Diamonds on the brake are gleaming ;

And foresters have busy been

To track the buck in thicket green ;

Now we come to chant our lay

* Waken, lords and ladies gay.'



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Fourth 273

Waken, lords and ladies gay,
To the greenwood haste away ;
We can show you where he lies,
Fleet of foot and tall of size ;
We can show the marks he made
When 'gainst the oak his antlers fray'd ;
You shall see him brought to bay ;
* Waken, lords and ladies gay.*

Louder, louder chant the lay
Waken, lords and ladies gay !
Tell them youth and mirth and glee
Run a course as well as we ;
Time, stem huntsman ! who can baulk.
Stanch as hound and fleet as hawk ;
Think of this, and rise with day.
