"STAND up, stand up, thou May Janet, And go to the wars with me." He's drawn her by both hands With her face against the sea. "He that strews red shall gather white. He that sows white reap red. Before your face and my daughter's Meet in a marriage bed. "Gold coin shall grow in the yellow field, Green corn in the green sea-water, And red fruit grow of the rose's red, Ere your fruit grow in her." "But I shall have her by land,' he said, "Or I shall have her by sea, Or I shall have her by strong treason And no grace go with me." Her father's drawn her by both hands, He's rent her gown from her, He's ta'en the smock round her body, Cast in the sea-water. The captain's drawn her by both sides Out of the fair green sea; "Stand up, stand up, thou May Janet, And come to the war with me." The first town they came to There was a blue bride-chamber: He clothed her on with silk And belted her with amber. The second town they came to The bridesmen feasted knee to knee; He clothed her on with silver, A stately thing to see. The third town they came to The bridesmaids all had gowns of gold; He clothed her on with purple, A rich thing to behold. The last town they came to He clothed her white and red, With a green flag either side of her And a gold flag overhead. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ON THE DEATH OF JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE by FITZ-GREENE HALLECK SONGS OF TRAVEL: 26. IF THIS WERE FAITH by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON IN MY LADY'S PRAISE by WILLIAM STANLEY BRAITHWAITE THE WANDERER: 5. IN HOLLAND: A GHOST STORY by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON A THANKSGIVING by BLISS CARMAN |