Wildwood Flower

I’ll twine ‘mid the ringlets of my raven black hair
The lilies so pale and the roses so fair,
The myrtle so bright with an emerald hue,
And the pale aronatus with eyes of bright blue.

I’ll sing and I’ll dance my laugh shall be gay
I’ll cease this wild weeping drive sorrow away;
Tho’ my heart is now breaking he never shall know
That his name made me tremble and my pale cheek to glow.

I’ll think of him never, I’ll be wildly gay,
I’ll charm every heart and the crowd I will sway;
I’ll live yet to see him regret the dark hour
When he won then neglected the frail wildwood flower.

He told me he love me, and promised to love
Through ill and misfortune, all other above’
Another has won him, oh! misery to tell
He left me in silence no words of farewell!

He taught me to love him, he call’d me his flower
That blossom’d for him all the brighter each hour
But I woke from my dreaming my idol was clay
My visions of love have all faded away.

Instruction on how to play this song can be found in Wayne Erbsen’s book:Clawhammer Banjo for the Complete Ignoramu