My love is in a light attire
     Among the apple-trees,
     Where the gay winds do most desire
     To run in companies.

     There, where the gay winds stay to woo
     The young leaves as they pass,
     My love goes slowly, bending to
     Her shadow on the grass;

     And where the sky's a pale blue cup
     Over the laughing land,
     My love goes lightly, holding up
     Her dress with dainty hand.

     Who goes amid the green wood
     With springtide all adorning her?
     Who goes amid the merry green wood
     To make it merrier?

     Who passes in the sunlight
     By ways that know the light footfall?
     Who passes in the sweet sunlight
     With mien so virginal?

     The ways of all the woodland
     Gleam with a soft and golden fire—
     For whom does all the sunny woodland
     Carry so brave attire?

     O, it is for my true love
     The woods their rich apparel wear—
     O, it is for my own true love,
     That is so young and fair.

     Winds of May, that dance on the sea,
     Dancing a ring-around in glee
     From furrow to furrow, while overhead
     The foam flies up to be garlanded,
     In silvery arches spanning the air,
     Saw you my true love anywhere?
     Welladay! Welladay!
     For the winds of May!
     Love is unhappy when love is away!

     Bright cap and streamers,
     He sings in the hollow:
     Come follow, come follow,
                All you that love.
     Leave dreams to the dreamers
     That will not after,
     That song and laughter
                Do nothing move.

     With ribbons streaming
     He sings the bolder;
     In troop at his shoulder
                The wild bees hum.
     And the time of dreaming
     Dreams is over—
     As lover to lover,
                Sweetheart, I come.

     Bid adieu, adieu, adieu,
     Bid adieu to girlish days,
     Happy Love is come to woo
     Thee and woo thy girlish ways—
     The zone that doth become thee fair,
     The snood upon thy yellow hair,

     When thou hast heard his name upon
     The bugles of the cherubim
     Begin thou softly to unzone
     Thy girlish bosom unto him
     And softly to undo the snood
     That is the sign of maidenhood.