John Clare - Nobody Cometh To Woo lyrics

On Martinmas eve the dogs did bark And I opened the window to see When every maiden went by with her spark But neer a one came to me And O dear what will become of me? And O dear what shall I do When nobody whispers to marry me Nobody cometh to woo? None's born for such troubles as I be If the sun wakens first in the morn "Lazy hussy" my parents both call me And I must abide by their scorn For nobody cometh to marry me Nobody cometh to woo So here in distress must I tarry me What can a poor maiden do? If I sigh through the window when Jerry The ploughman goes by, I grow bold And if I'm disposed to be merry My parents do nothing but scold And Jerry the clown, and no other Eer cometh to marry or woo They think me the moral of mother And judge me a terrible shrew For mother she hateth all fellows And spinning's my father's desire While the old cat growls ba** with the bellows If eer I hitch up to the fire I make the whole house out of humour I wish nothing else but to please Would fortune but bring a new comer To marry, and make me at ease! When I've nothing my leisure to hinder I scarce get as far as the eaves Her head's instant out of the window Calling out like a press after thieves The young men all fall to remarking And laugh till they're weary to see't While the dogs at the noise begin barking And I slink in with shame from the street My mother's aye jealous of loving My father's aye jealous of play So what with them both there's no moving I'm in durance for life and a day O who shall I get for to marry me? Who will have pity to woo? Tis d**h any longer to tarry me And what shall a poor maiden do?