The Fair Young Maiden

“I’ll meet you in the woods tonight;
The air is cold, the stars are bright,
But love will be our warming light!”
The fair young maiden said.

“My love, I long to meet thee there
Despite the cold and chilling air,”
Replied the youth, and stroked her hair,
And kissed her lips, so red.

They parted then, with longing sighs,
Exchanging vows from loving eyes,
And he began to realize
The void within his heart.

“We’ve known each other little time,
And yet our souls begin to chime
In unison, with perfect rhyme,
And have been from the start.”

And all throughout the day he dreamed
With lengthy thoughts, but longer seemed
The day itself, until there beamed
The last rays of the sun.

And then the young man’s heart o’erflowed,
While through the woods it thickly snowed;
The freezing wind stung like a goad,
As he headed for the meeting.

“I know she will be true to me,”
He thought, and from behind each tree,
Expected any time to be
The sound of his Love’s greeting.

He finally came to the place;
The cold, cold wind blew on his face,
As down the snow began to race,
And gathered on his head.

Faithfully he lingered on,
Until there beamed a glorious dawn,
And there, upon the forest lawn,
They found the poor boy . . . dead.

So watch you, young man! Without doubt,
A faithless wench shall find you out,
And make you pine, and make you pout,
And cause you her to cherish.

Beware, young man, of her sweet charm!
She brings not good, but only harm;
Turn back before in great alarm,
She causes you to perish!

Philip Bramblet