Alfred Edward Housman: Collected Lyrics
23 / 63
Public-domain lyrics

March

Alfred Edward Housman

“March” as printed in A Shropshire Lad (1896).

Alfred Edward Housman: Collected Lyrics Text 23 1896 · historical text
Public domainSong lyricsVictorian song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from A Shropshire Lad, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

The Sun at noon to higher air,

Unharnessing the silver Pair

That late before his chariot swam,

Rides on the gold wool of the Ram.

Verse 2

So braver notes the storm-cock sings

To start the rusted wheel of things,

And brutes in field and brutes in pen

Leap that the world goes round again.

Verse 3

The boys are up the woods with day

To fetch the daffodils away,

And home at noonday from the hills

They bring no dearth of daffodils.

Verse 4

Afield for palms the girls repair,

And sure enough the palms are there,

And each will find by hedge or pond

Her waving silver-tufted wand.

Verse 5

In farm and field through all the shire

The eye beholds the heart's desire;

Ah, let not only mine be vain,

For lovers should be loved again.

Credits

Written by Alfred Edward Housman

Words by Alfred Edward Housman. Historical text published in A Shropshire Lad (1896); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

A Shropshire Lad (1896), “March”

A. E. Housman (1859-1936) died more than 89 years ago; his works entered the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions in 2007, and the 1896 first edition is in the public domain in the United States. Entries credited to other hands are held unless their author died more than 70 years ago.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-27. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
Keep tracing

More from Alfred Edward Housman: Collected Lyrics.

01'T is time, I think, by Wenlock townPublic-domain lyrics021887Public-domain lyrics03Along the field as we came byPublic-domain lyrics04As through the wild green hills of WyrePublic-domain lyrics