A Wedding-Song

by John White Chadwick English

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 carolling.” 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.

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