An Old Song + 

The sun set, the wind fell, the sea + 

Was like a mirror shaking: + 

The one small wave that clapped the land + 

A mile-long snake of foam was making + 

Where tide had smoothed and wind had dried + 

The vacant sand. + 

A light divided the swollen clouds + 

And lay most perfectly + 

Like a straight narrow footbridge bright + 

That crossed over the sea to me; + 

And no one else in the whole world + 

Saw that same sight. + 

I walked elate, my bridge always + 

Just one step from my feet: + 

A robin sang, a shade in shade: + 

And all I did was to repeat: + 

“I’ll go no more a-roving + 

With you, fair maid.” + 

The sailors’ song of merry loving + 

With dusk and sea-gull’s mewing + 

Mixed sweet, the lewdness far outweighed + 

By the wild charm the chorus played: + 

“I’ll go no more a-roving + 

With you, fair maid: + 

A-roving, a-roving, since roving’s been my ruin, + 

I’ll go no more a-roving with you, fair maid.” + 

In Amsterdam there dwelt a maid⁠— + 

Mark well what I do say⁠— + 

In Amsterdam there dwelt a maid + 

And she was a mistress of her trade: + 

I’ll go no more a-roving + 

With you, fair maid: + 

A-roving, a-roving, since roving’s been my ruin, + 

I’ll go no more a-roving with you, fair maid. + 