206 207 208 A PIPER A PIPER in the streets to-day Set up, and tuned, and started to play, And men left down their work and came, And all the world went gay, went gay, For half an hour in the street to-day. SEUMAS O'SULLIVAN THE LITTLE DANCERS LONELY, save for a few faint stars, the sky Their eyes shining, grave with a perfect pleasure. TWO NUT TREES i I HAD a little nut tree, Nothing would it bear, 209 But a silver nutmeg, And a golden pear. The King of Spain's daughter My little nut tree. I danced over sea, And all the birds in the air Could not catch me. THOMAS ANON ii THE King of China's daughter So beautiful to see With her face like yellow water, left Her nutmeg tree. Her little rope for skipping She kissed and gave it me— Made of painted notes of singing-birds I skipped across the nutmeg grove,― But neither sun nor moon, my dear, EDITH SITWELL WHEN THE GREEN WOODS LAUGH WHEN the green woods laugh with the voice of joy, When the air does laugh with our merry wit, When the meadows laugh with lively green, When Mary and Susan and Emily With their sweet round mouths sing "Ha Ha, He!" When the painted birds laugh in the shade, 210 211 FA LA LA My mistress frowns when she should play; Sometimes she chides, but I straightway You lovers that have loves astray May win them with a Fa la la. IT WAS A LOVER It was a Lover, and his lasse, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, In spring time, the onely pretty ring time, Between the acres of the Rie, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, In spring time, the onely pretty ring time, This Carroll they began that houre, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino; |