1.
My Chloris, mark how green the groves,
The primrose banks how fair!
The balmy gales awake the flowers,
And wave thy flaxen hair.
2.
The lav'rock shuns the palace gay,
And o'er the cottage sings:
For Nature smiles as sweet, I ween,
To shepherds as to kings.
3.
Let minstrels sweep the skilfu' string
In lordly, lighted ha':
The shepherd stops his simple reed,
Blythe in the birken shaw.
4.
The princely revel may survey
Our rustic dance wi' scorn;
But art their hearts as light as ours
Beneath the milk-white thorn?
5.
The shepherd in the flowery glen
In shepherd's phrase will woo:
The courtier tells a finer tale -
But is his heart as true?
6.
Here wild-wood flowers I've pu'd, to deck
That spotless breast o' thine:
The courtier's gems may witness love -
But 'tis na love like mine!

My Chloris, mark how green the groves,
The primrose banks how fair!
The balmy gales awake the flowers,
And wave your flaxen hair.

The lark shuns the palace gay,
And over the cottage sings:
For Nature smiles as sweet, I think,
To shepherds as to kings.

Let minstrels sweep the skilful string
In lordly, lighted hall:
The shepherd stops his simple reed,
Blythe in the birch wood.

The princely revel may survey
Our rustic dance with scorn;
But are their hearts as light as ours
Beneath the milk-white thorn?

The shepherd in the flowery glen
In shepherd's phrase will woo:
The courtier tells a finer tale -
But is his heart as true?

Here wild-wood flowers I have pulled, to deck
That spotless breast of yours:
The courtier's gems may witness love -
But it is not love like mine!