Margaret! my first love, Do not say me nay! A morning music thou must have, A waking roundelay. --Your waking music irks me, And irk me all who play; If this goes on much longer I'll drown myself one day. --If this goes on much longer, And thou wilt drown one day, Why, then a swimmer I will be, And save thee sans delay. --If then a swimmer thou wilt be, And save me sans delay, Then I will be an eel, and slip From 'twixt thy hands away. --If thou wilt be an eel, and slip From 'twixt my hands away, Why, I will be the fisherman Whom all the fish obey. --If thou wilt be the fisherman Whom all the fish obey, Then I will be the tender grass That yonder turns to hay. --If thou wilt be the tender grass That yonder turns to hay, Why, then a mower I will be, And mow thee in the may. --If thou a mower then wilt be, And mow me in the may, I, as a little hare, will go In yonder wood to stray. --If thou a little hare wilt go In yonder wood to stray, Then will I come, a hunter bold, And have thee as my prey. --If thou wilt come a hunter bold To have me as thy prey, Then I will be the endive small In yonder garden gay. --If thou wilt be the endive small In yonder garden gay, Then I will be the falling dew, And fall on thee alway. --If thou wilt be the falling dew, And fall on me alway, Then I will be the white, white rose On yonder thorny spray. --If thou wilt be the white, white rose On yonder thorny spray, Then I will be the honey bee, And kiss thee all the day. --If thou wilt be the honey bee, And kiss me all the day, Then I will be in yonder heaven The star of brightest ray. --If thou wilt be in yonder heaven The star of brighest ray, Then I will be the dawn, and we Shall meet at break of day. --If thou wilt be the dawn, so we May meet at break of day, Then I will be a nun professed, A nun of orders grey. --If thou wilt be a nun professed, A nun of orders grey, Then I will be the prior, and thou To me thy sins must say. --If thou wilt be the prior, and I To thee my sins must say, Then will I sleep among the dead, While the sisters weep and pray. --If thou wilt sleep among the dead, While the sisters weep and pray, Then I will be the holy earth That on thee they shall lay. --If thou wilt be the holy earth That on me they shall lay-- Well--since some gallant I must have, I will not say thee nay.