The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/The Wooing

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

THE WOOING

A youth went faring up and down,
    Alack and well-a-day.
He fared him to the market town,
    Alack and well-a-day.
And there he met a maiden fair,
With hazel eyes and auburn hair;
His heart went from him then and there,
    Alack and well-a-day.

She posies sold right merrily,
    Alack and well-a-day;
But not a flower was fair as she,
    Alack and well-a-day.
He bought a rose and sighed a sigh,
"Ah, dearest maiden, would that I
Might dare the seller too to buy!"
    Alack and well-a-day.

She tossed her head, the coy coquette,
    Alack and well-a-day.
"I'm not, sir, in the market yet,"
    Alack and well-a-day.
"Your love must cool upon a shelf;
Tho' much I sell for gold and pelf,
I 'm yet too young to sell myself,"
    Alack and well-a-day.

The youth was filled with sorrow sore,
    Alack and well-a-day.
And looked he at the maid once more,
    Alack and well-a-day.
Then loud he cried, "Fair maiden, if
Too young to sell, now as I live,
You're not too young yourself to give,"
    Alack and well-a-day.

The little maid cast down her eyes,
    Alack and well-a-day.
And many a flush began to rise,
    Alack and well-a-day.
"Why, since you are so bold," she said,
"I doubt not you are highly bred,
So take me!" and the twain were wed,
    Alack and well-a-day.