The Water Is Wide

 The water is wide, I cannot get o’er
 And neither have I wings to fly
 Give me a boat that will carry two
 And both shall row, my love and I

 Oh, down in the meadows, the other day
 A-gathering flowers both fine and gay
 A-gathering flowers both red and blue
 I little thought what love can do

 I put my hand into one soft bush
 Thinking the sweetest flower to find
 I pricked my finger right to the bone
 And left the sweetest flower alone

 I leaned my back up against some oak
 Thinking that he was a trusty tree
 But first he bended and then he broke
 And so did my false love to me

 A ship there is and she sails the sea
 She’s loaded deep as deep can be
 But not so deep as the love I’m in
 I know not if I can sink or swim

 Oh, love is handsome and love is fine
 And love’s a jewel while it is new
 But when it is old, it groweth cold
 And fades away like morning dew