Classic Poem

Jolly shepherd, shepherd on a hill,
On a hill so merrily,
On a hill so cheerily,
Fear not, shepherd, there to pipe thy fill,
Fill every dale, fill every plain:
Both sing and say, " Love feels no pain."

Jolly shepherd, shepherd on a green,
On a green so merrily,
On a green so cheerily,
Be thy voice shrill, be thy mirth seen,
Heard to each swain, seen to each trull:
Both sing and say, " Love's joy is full."

Jolly shepherd, shepherd in the sun,
In the sun so merrily,
In the sun so cheerily,
Sing forth thy songs, and let thy rhymes run
Down to the dales, to the hills above:
Both sing and say, " No life to love."

Jolly shepherd, shepherd in the shade,
In the shade so merrily,
In the shade so cheerily,
Joy in thy life, life of the shepherd's trade,
Joy in thy love, love full of glee:
Both sing and say, " Sweet love for me."

Jolly shepherd, shepherd here or there,
Here or there so merrily,
Here or there so cheerily,
Or in thy chat, either at thy cheer,
In every jig, in every lay
Both sing and say, " Love lasts for aye."

Jolly shepherd, shepherd Daphnis' love,
Daphnis' love so merrily,
Daphnis' love so cheerily,
Let thy fancy never more remove,
Fancy be fixed, fixed not to fleet:
Still sing and say, " Love's yoke is sweet."