January

O January maiden fair,

     Pray who could help but love you?

With lustrous eyes, blue as the skies

     That bend and smile above you.

With rosy cheeks kissed by the winds

     That sweep adown the river;

With lips like wine, and voice divine,

     You set all hearts a-quiver.

Fleet as the deer in yonder wood,

     As off you go careening;

The ringing steel, the merry peal

     Of laughter intervening.

To you I bring my heart and hand,

     My riches heavy laden,

For you are queen of all, I ween,

     O January maiden!

Jan. 6, 1900