Living
A-Maying
Translated by John Addington Symonds (1884) · From Wine, Women, and Song (1884)
Now the fields are laughing; now the maids
Take their pastime; laugh the leafy glades:
Now the summer days are blooming,
And the flowers their chaliced lamps for love illuming.
Fruit-trees blossom; woods grow green again;
Winter's rage is past: O ye young men,
With the May-bloom shake off sadness!
Love is luring you to join the maidens' gladness.
Let us then together sport and play;
Cytherea bids the young be gay:
Laughter soft and happy voices,
Hope and love invite to mirth when May rejoices.
Cite this poem
MLA
The Goliards (Wandering Scholars). “A-Maying.” Translated by John Addington Symonds. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/goliards/10/.
Chicago
The Goliards (Wandering Scholars). “A-Maying.” Translated by John Addington Symonds. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/goliards/10/.
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