Corrina's Going a-Maying / Robert Herrick

Corinna's Going a-Maying

Get up, get up for shame, the blooming Morn

Upon her wings presents the god unshorn.

                     See how Aurora throws her fair

                     Fresh-quilted colours through the air:

                     Get up, sweet-Slug-a-bed, and see

                     The Dew-bespangling Herb and Tree.

Each Flower has wept, and bow'd toward the East,

Above an hour since; yet you not drest,

                     Nay! not so much as out of bed?

                     When all the Birds have Matins said,

                     And sung their thankful Hymns: 'tis sin,

                     Nay, profanation to keep in,

When as a thousand Virgins on this day,

Spring, sooner than the Lark, to fetch in May.

Rise; and put on your Foliage, and be seen

To come forth, like the Spring-time, fresh and green;

                     And sweet as Flora. Take no care

                     For Jewels for your Gown, or Hair:

                     Fear not; the leaves will strew

                     Gems in abundance upon you:

Besides, the childhood of the Day has kept,

Against you come, some Orient Pearls unwept:

                     Come, and receive them while the light

                     Hangs on the Dew-locks of the night:

                     And Titan on the Eastern hill

                     Retires himself, or else stands still

Till you come forth. Wash, dress, be brief in praying:

Few Beads are best, when once we go a-Maying.

Come, my Corinna, come; and coming, mark

How each field turns a street; each street a Park

                     Made green, and trimm'd with trees: see how

                     Devotion gives each House a Bough,

                     Or Branch: Each Porch, each door, ere this,

                     An Ark a Tabernacle is

Made up of white-thorn neatly interwove;

As if here were those cooler shades of love.

                     Can such delights be in the street,

                     And open fields, and we not see't?

                     Come, we'll abroad; and let's obey

                     The Proclamation made for May:

And sin no more, as we have done, by staying;

But my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying.

There's not a budding Boy, or Girl, this day,

But is got up, and gone to bring in May.

                     A deal of Youth, ere this, is come

                     Back, and with White-thorn laden home.

                     Some have dispatched their Cakes and Cream,

                     Before that we have left to dream:

And some have wept, and woo'd, and plighted Troth,

And chose their Priest, ere we can cast off sloth:

                     Many a green-gown has been given;

                     Many a kiss, both odd and even:

                     Many a glance too has been sent

                     From out the eye, Love's Firmament:

Many a jest told of the Keys betraying

This night, and Locks pick'd, yet we're not a-Maying.

Come, let us go, while we are in our prime;

And take the harmless folly of the time.

                     We shall grow old apace, and die

                     Before we know our liberty.

                     Our life is short; and our days run

                     As fast away as does the Sun:

And as a vapour, or a drop of rain

Once lost, can ne'r be found again:

                     So when or you or I are made

                     A fable, song, or fleeting shade;

                     All love, all liking, all delight

                     Lies drown'd with us in endless night.

Then while time serves, and we are but decaying;
Come, my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying..

~~
Robert Herrick (1591-1674)
from Hesperides, 1648

[Poem is in the public domain worldwide]

Robert Herrick biography

"Corrina's Going a-Maying" read by Katrina Atsinger. Courtesy YouTube.