She bravely swam to yonder bank,
but what pluck I roused to wither.
The currents strong, the waters wide,
my valour would not deliver
To cower from our bonding pledge
and to break that seal forever.
I stood alone, a cowering wretch
on the wrong side of the river.
Come sing of me the coward’s song,
let render forth what I’m to be.
Where fools belong, the fool there I,
as clear as truth for all to see.
Of her, her song, I answered not,
though I could hear her verses plea.
‘My love, my love, my darling one,
oh, why have you abandoned me.’
On yonder bank she waits no more
the river now a summer stream.
Where I can simply wade across
twixt her and I and nowt between.
But she, I fear, a long ways gone
as is with time cannot redeem
Turn back the clock, I’ll prove my grit.
None braver than when cowards dream.