waylaid

If we could get the hang of it entirely
It would take too long;
All we know is the splash of words in passing
And falling twigs of song,
And when we try to eavesdrop on the great
Presences it is rarely
That by a stroke of luck we can appropriate
Even a phrase entirely.

If we could find our happiness entirely
In somebody else’s arms
We should not fear the spears of the spring nor the city’s
Yammering fire alarms
But, as it is, the spears each year go through
Our flesh and almost hourly
Bell or siren banishes the blue
Eyes of Love entirely.

And if the world were black or white entirely
And all the charts were plain
Instead of a mad weir of tigerish waters,
A prism of delight and pain,
We might be surer where we wished to go
Or again we might be merely
Bored but in the brute reality there is no
Road that is right entirely.

Louis MacNeice

I'll sing you one o
Green grow the rushes o
What is your one o?
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

I'll sing you two o; Green grow the rushes o
What is your two o?
Two, two the lily white boys, cloth-ed all in green o
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

I'll sing you three o; Green grow the rushes o
What is your three o?
Three, three the rivals
Two, two the lily white boys, cloth-ed all in green o
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

I'll sing you four o
Green grow the rushes o
What is your four o?
Four for the gospel makers
Three, three the rivals
Two, two the lily white boys, cloth-ed all in green o
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

I'll sing you five o
Green grow the rushes o
What is your five o?
Five for the symbols on your door
Four for the gospel makers
Three, three the rivals
Two, two the lily white boys, cloth-ed all in green o
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

I'll sing you six o
Green grow the rushes o
What is your six o?
Six for the six proud walkers
Five for the symbols on your door
Four for the gospel makers
Three, three the rivals
Two, two the lily white boys, cloth-ed all in green o
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

I'll sing you seven o
Green grow the rushes o
What is your seven o?
Seven for the seven stars in the sky
Six for the six proud walkers
Five for the symbols on your door
Four for the gospel makers
Three, three the rivals
Two, two the lily white boys, cloth-ed all in green o
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

I'll sing you eight o
Green grow the rushes o
What is your eight o?
Eight for the April rainers
Seven for the seven stars in the sky
Six for the six proud walkers
Five for the symbols on your door
Four for the gospel makers
Three, three the rivals
Two, two the lily white boys, cloth-ed all in green o
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

I'll sing you nine o
Green grow the rushes o
What is your nine o?
Nine for the nine bright shiners
Eight for the April rainers
Seven for the seven stars in the sky
Six for the six proud walkers
Five for the symbols on your door
Four for the gospel makers
Three, three the rivals
Two, two the lily white boys, cloth-ed all in green o
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

I'll sing you ten o; Green grow the rushes o
What is your ten o?
Ten for the ten commandments
Nine for the nine bright shiners
Eight for the April rainers
Seven for the seven stars in the sky
Six for the six proud walkers
Five for the symbols on your door
Four for the gospel makers
Three, three the rivals
Two, two the lily white boys, cloth-ed all in green o
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

I'll sing you eleven o
Green grow the rushes o
What is your eleven o?
Eleven for the eleven that went to heaven
Ten for the ten commandments
Nine for the nine bright shiners
Eight for the April rainers
Seven for the seven stars in the sky
Six for the six proud walkers
Five for the symbols on your door
Four for the gospel makers
Three, three the rivals
Two, two the lily white boys, cloth-ed all in green o
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

I'll sing you twelve o
Green grow the rushes o
What is your twelve o?
Twelve for the twelve apostles
Eleven for the eleven that went to heaven
Ten for the ten commandments
Nine for the nine bright shiners
Eight for the April rainers
Seven for the seven stars in the sky
Six for the six proud walkers
Five for the symbols on your door
Four for the gospel makers
Three, three the rivals
Two, two the lily white boys, cloth-ed all in green o
One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.

Traditional


There is also another version...

Green grow the rushes o

There's naught but care on ev'ry han',
In every hour that passes, O;
What signifies the life o' man
If it were not for the lasses, O?

Chorus:
Green grow the rushes, O!
Green grow the rushes, O!
The sweetest hour that ever I spend,
Are spent among the lasses, O!

The worldly race may riches chase,
And riches still may fly them, O;
An though at last they catch them fast,
Their hearts can ne'er enjoy them, O.
(Chorus)

But gie me a quiet hour at even,
My arms around my dearie, O;
An' worldly cares, and worldly men,
May all go topsy-turvy, O;
(Chorus)

For you sober fool, ye sneer at this,
Ye're naught but senseless asses, O;
The wisest man the worl' saw
He dearly loved the lasses, O!
(Chorus)

Auld Nature swears, the lovely dears
Her noblest work she classes, O:
Her 'prentice hand she tried on man,
An then she made the lasses, O.
(Chorus)