And the gates of this Chapel were shut, 

 And ' Thou shalt not ' writ over the door ; 

 So I turn'd to the Garden of Love 

 That so many sweet flowers bore ; 



And I saw it was filled with graves. 



And tombstones where flowers should be ; 



And priests in black gowns were walking their rounds. 



And binding with briars my joys and desires. 



BLAKE. 



MY LOVE BUILT ME A BONNIE 

 BOWER 



M 



Y love built me a bonnie bower, 

 And clad it a' wi' lily flower ; 

 A brawer bower ye ne'er did see. 

 Than my true lover built for me. 



There cam a man at midday hour, 

 He heard my song and he saw my bower, 

 And he brocht armed men that nicht 

 And brak my bower and slew my knicht. 



He slew my knicht, to me sae dear. 

 And burnt my bower, and drave my gear ; 

 My servants a' for life did flee. 

 And left me in extremitie. 



I sew'd his sheet and made my mane, 

 I watch'd his corpse, myself alane ; 

 I watch'd by nicht and I watch'd by day. 

 No living creature cam that way. 



69 



