The Riverside song book/The Hunter's Serenade

by William Cullen Bryant

Layout 2

THE HUNTER’S SERENADE.

William Cullen Bryant. German Air.

Affettuoso.

1. Thy bow’r is fin - ished, fair - est! Fit bow’r for hun - ters bride,

2. For thee the wild-grape glist - ens On sun - ny knoll and tree,

3. Come, thou hast not for - got - ten Thy pledge and prom-ise quite,

Where old woods o - ver - shad - ow The green sa - van - na’s side.

The slim pa - pa - ya ri - pens Its yel - low fruit for thee.

With ma - ny blushes mur - mered. Be - neath the even - ins light.

I've wan- der'd long, and wandered far, And nev - er have I met, . .

For thee the duck, on glass-y stream, The prai - rie-f owl shall die; . .

Then come, the vio - lets crowd my door, Thy ear - liest look to win, . .

In all this love-ly West-ern land, A spot so love - ly yet;

My ri - fle for thy feast shall bring The wild-swan from the sky.

And at my si - lent win - do w- sill The jes- sa - mine peeps in.

But I shall think it fair - er When thou art come to bless,

The for-est’s leap - ing pan - ther. Fierce, beauti - ful and fleet,

All day the red - bird war - bles Up - on the mulber-ry near,

With thy sweet smile and sil - ver voice, Its si - lent love - li - ness.

Shall yield his spot- ted hide to be A car - pet for thy feet.

And the night - spar- row trills her song All night, with none to hear.