Riverdaughter
You
shouldn’t see me as you walk
Beside
my secret place;
Ripples
hide my lucid limbs
As
time moves on apace.
Seek
me not, oh, mortal man
Nor
look upon my face.
Ring
upon the river,
Ring
upon the water
Never
stay where you might see
Temptation’s
riverdaughter.
I
am lovely, so they say;
My
tale is seldom told-
Men
who pause to peer at me
Should
never be so bold.
He
who seeks my pale embrace
Will
be forever cold.
Ring
upon the river,
Bread
upon the water
Never
stand where you might meet
Temptation’s
riverdaughter.
I
lie among the willow's boughs
And
gently braid their wands;
I
let the dapples comfort me
While
weaving o’ the fronds.
My
smile is young yet I am old
Your
blood to me responds.
Ring
upon the river,
Wind
upon the water
Never
wait where you might sense
Temptation’s
riverdaughter.
You
won’t find me if you walk
In
blessed state of grace;
And
keep your mind on higher things
Than
this enchanted place-
But
cast yourself in Nyssa’s ponds?
You’ll
leave no mortal trace.
Ring
upon the river,
Tears
upon the water
Never
be where you might know
Temptation’s
riverdaughter.
