Author: Robert David Wolfe

The Shades of Night

Robert David Wolfe /

The Shades of Night
By A.E. Houseman
[a parody of Longfellow, Excelsior]

The shades of night were falling fast
And the rain was falling faster,
When through an Alpine village passed
An Alpine village pastor;
A youth who bore mid snow and ice
A bird that wouldn’t chirrup,
And a banner, with the strange device —
‘Mrs. Winslow’s soothing syrup.

”Beware the pass,’ the old man said,
‘My bold and desperate fellah;
Dark lowers the tempest overhead,
And you’ll want your umberella;
And the roaring torrent is deep and wide —
You may hear how it washes.’
But still that clarion voice replied:
‘I’ve got my old goloshes.’

‘Oh stay,’ the maiden said, ‘and rest
(For the wind blows from the nor’ward)
Thy weary head upon my breast —
And please don’t think me forward.’
A tear stood in his bright blue eye
And gladly he would have tarried;
But still he answered with a sigh:
‘Unhappily I’m married.’

The Time I’ve Lost in Wooing

Robert David Wolfe /

The Time I’ve Lost in Wooing
By Thomas Moore

The time I’ve lost in wooing,
In watching and pursuing
The light, that lies
In woman’s eyes,
Has been my heart’s undoing.
Though Wisdom oft has sought me,
I scorn’d the lore she brought me,
My only books
Were woman’s looks,
And folly’s all they’ve taught me.

Her smile when Beauty granted,
I hung with gaze enchanted,
Like him the Sprite,
Whom maids by night
Oft meet in glen that’s haunted.
Like him, too, Beauty won me,
But while her eyes were on me,
If once their ray
Was turn’d away,
Oh! winds could not outrun me.

And are those follies going?
And is my proud heart growing
Too cold or wise
For brilliant eyes
Again to set it glowing?
No, vain, alas! th’ endeavour
From bonds so sweet to sever;
Poor Wisdom’s chance
Against a glance
Is now as weak as ever.

Let Him Go, Let Him Tarry

Robert David Wolfe /
Let Him Go, Let Him Tarry
[play] [print]
(Trad)
Farewell to cold winter, summer’s come at last
Nothing have I gained but my true love I have lost
I’ll sing and I’ll be happy like the birds upon the tree
For since he deceived me I care no more for he

Let him go, let him tarry, let him sink or let him swim
He doesn’t care for me nor I don’t care for him
He can go and get another that I hope he will enjoy
For I am going to marry a far nicer boy

He wrote me a letter saying he was very bad
I sent him back an answer saying I was awful glad
He wrote to me another saying he was well and strong
But I care no more about him than the ground he walks upon

Let him go, let him tarry, let him sink or let him swim
He doesn’t care for me nor I don’t care for him
He can go and get another that I hope he will enjoy
For I am going to marry a far nicer boy

Some of his friends had a good kind wish for me
Others of his friends they could hang me on a tree
But soon I’ll let them see my love, and soon I’ll let them know
That I can get a new sweetheart on any grounds I go

Let him go, let him tarry, let him sink or let him swim
He doesn’t care for me nor I don’t care for him
He can go and get another that I hope he will enjoy
For I am going to marry a far nicer boy

He can go to his old mother now and set her mind at ease
I hear she is an old, old woman, very hard to please
It’s slighting me and talking ill is what she’s always done
Because that I was courting her great big ugly son

Let him go, let him tarry, let him sink or let him swim
He doesn’t care for me nor I don’t care for him
He can go and get another that I hope

I Know Where I’m Going

Robert David Wolfe /

I Know Where I’m Going
[traditional]

I know where I’m going
And I know who’s going with me
I know who I love
And my dear knows who I’ll marry.
I have stockings of silk
And shoes of bright green leather
Combs to buckle my hair
And a ring for every finger.

O’ feather beds are soft
And painted rooms are bonnie
But I would give them all
For my handsome winsome Johnny.

Some say that he’s poor
But I say that he’s bonnie
Fairest of them all
Is my handsome winsome Johnny.