42 PEARLS AND PEBBLES. 



LAMENT FOR THE MAY QUEEN. 



Weep, weep, thou virgin Queen of May, 



Thy ancient reign is o'er ; 

 Thy vot'ries now are lowly laid, 



And thou art Queen no more. 



Fling down, fling down, thy flow'ry crown, 



Thy sceptre cast away, 

 For ne'er again on vale or plain 



They'll hail thee Queen of May. 



No maiden now with glowing brow 



Shall rise with early dawn, 

 To bind her hair with chaplets fair 



Torn from the blossomed-thorn. 



No lark shall spring on dewy wing 



Thy matin hymn to pour, 

 No cuckoo's voice shall shout " Rejoice ! ' 



For thou art Queen no more. 



Beneath thy flower-encircled wand 



No peasant trains advance ; 

 No more they lead with sportive tread 



The merry, merry dance. 



The violet blooms with modest grace 



Beneath its crest of leaves ; 

 The primrose shows her gentle face, 



Her wreaths the woodbine weaves. 



The cowslip bends her golden head, 



And daisies deck the lea ; 

 But ah ! no more iri grove or bower 



The Queen of May we'll see. 



