John Clare - Patty Of The Vale lyrics

A weedling child on lonely lea My evening rambles chanced to see And much the weedling tempted me To crop its tender flower Exposed to wind and heavy rain It's head bow'd lowly on the plain Hand silently it seem'd in pain Of life's endanger'd hour And and wilt thou bid my bloom decay And crop my flower, and me betray And cast my injured sweets away? Its silence seemly sigh'd 'A moment's idol of thy mind! And is a stranger so unkind to leave the shameful root behind Bereft of all its pride? And so it seemly did complain And beating fell the heavy rain And low it droop'd upon the plain To fate resign'd to fall My heart did melt at its decline And ' Come,' said I, ' thou gem divine My fate shall stand the storm with thine So took the root and all