sw00678a-19.fv1959

First Verses



Tom of the Woods


In yonder woods so green and fair
 There lived a lad in woe;
For though he had the glades for friends,
 There was no man to know.

His name?  His name was Tom de Luck,
 And luck he surely had.
His life was full of chance and dare,
 But lonely, he was sad.

The woods was bright with flashing hues
 That sparkled in the sun,
As squirrels scampered on the ground
 Until the day was done.

The fox in slyest deviltry
 Approached his hapless prey,
And captured it, then took his bow
 Before he dashed away.

But all these scenes that filled the woods
 With gaiety and life,
But further saddened Tom de Luck
 And added to his strife.

He strolled the paths with head hung low;
 He stumbled through the mire,
Where mists that echoed all his thoughts
 Accepted his retire.

One day while sitting on a stump,
 He heard a "hello" flow
From tender lips (beyond the marsh)
 That beckoned him to go.

"Who comes so into this deep woods
 To utter soft helloes?
What maiden fair is tripping there
 Yet knows not where she goes?"

"My name is Mary Mariand,
 And I know where I be.
But who are you that questions thus
 In truth to know of me?"

"In truth I go by Tom, if that
 Be true enough for you.
Within this woods of stately trees
 I've lived my whole life through."

"Now Tom of thé woods, for is it
 Not thee, your name and this?
Now gentle sir, be kind to me,
 But render not one kiss."

"A kiss!  I fear the thought of it. . . .
 A maiden such as thee
With golden hair that trails as silk
 In lightest winds at sea. . . ."

"I think you have too many blooms;
 Your garden verse o'erflows,
But let us walk down winding trails
 To where the gentian grows."

The distant haze enveloped them
 As hand in hand they trailed
The ivy and the royal gent's
 To where the maid was veiled.




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Brian A. J. Salchert