Sweetheart May
(Traditional)



Long ago an angel I knew, if ever a one was seen
She was a bonnie sweet child of eight, and I was just eighteen 
And every night she'd sit on my knee, her arms round my neck and say
I love you, I love you, and when I grow big, now promise to marry your May

Sweetheart May, when you grow up one day
You may marry another and my love betray
But I'll wait for you, and then we shall see
What you will do when I ask you to marry me

I went one day to countries away, to lands over sea to tread
Trials and troubles of life I met, as years lay on my head 
But every night I'd think of that child, her smile and her young love-sigh
I longed just to see her grown up sweet eighteen, my May of the days gone by

I came back again, and I found her at last to a beautiful woman grown
I asked her to think of those old happy days, but the memory was mine alone
I stood there before her, I sang the old song, she couldn't recall it
I begged her to try
She said, I forget you; besides we must part, to-morrow I'm going to be married; good-bye