Nature

Hunting Song

by Richard Hovey 1864–1900

From The Golden Treasury of American Songs and Lyrics (1899)

Nature

Oh, who would stay indoor, indoor,
When the horn is on the hill? (Bugle: Tarantara!)
With the crisp air stinging, and the huntsmen singing,
And a ten-tined buck to kill!

Before the sun goes down, goes down,
We shall slay the buck of ten; (Bugle: Tarantara!)
And the priest shall say benison, and we shall ha'e venison,
When we come home again.

Let him that loves his ease, his ease,
Keep close and house him fair; (Bugle: Tarantara!)
He'll still be a stranger to the merry thrill of danger
And the joy of the open air.

But he that loves the hills, the hills,
Let him come out to-day! (Bugle: Tarantara!)
For the horses are neighing, and the hounds are baying,
And the hunt's up, and away!

MLA

Hovey, Richard. “Hunting Song.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/hovey/4/.

Chicago

Hovey, Richard. “Hunting Song.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/hovey/4/.

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