John Clare - I Hid My Love lyrics

I hid my love when young till I Couldn't bear the buzzing of a fly I hid my love to my despite Till I could not bear to look at light I dare not gaze upon her face But left her memory in each place Where'er I saw a wild flower lie I kissed and bade my love good-bye I met her in the greenest dells Where dewdrops pearl the wood bluebells The lost breeze kissed her bright blue eye The bee kissed and went singing by A sunbeam found a pa**age there A gold chain round her neck so fair As secret as the wild bee's song She lay there all the summer long I hid my love in field and town Till e'en the breeze would knock me down The bees seemed singing ballads o'er The fly's ba** turned a lion's roar And even silence found a tongue To haunt me all the summer long The riddle nature could not prove Was nothing else but secret love