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Ah, Happy, Happy Boughs Lyrics by Ben Moore

Eight Songs

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Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness
Thou foster-child of silence and slow time
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:
What leaf-fring'd legend haunts about thy shape
Of deities or mortals, or of both
In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?
What men or gods are these? What maidens loth?
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?
What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?
Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd
Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:
Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave
Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;
Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss
Though winning near the goal yet, do not grieve;
She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss
For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!
Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;
And, happy melodist, unwearied
For ever piping songs for ever new;
More happy love! more happy, happy love!
For ever warm and still to be enjoy'd
For ever panting, and for ever young;
All breathing human passion far above
That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd
A burning forehead, and a parching tongue
Who are these coming to the sacrifice?
To what green altar, O mysterious priest
Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies
And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?
What little town by river or sea shore
Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel
Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?
And, little town, thy streets for evermore
Will silent be; and not a soul to tell
Why thou art desolate, can e'er return
O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede
Of marble men and maidens overwrought
With forest branches and the trodden weed;
Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought
As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral!
When old age shall this generation waste
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,--that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."
Credits
Ben Moore

Ben Moore

About “Ah, Happy, Happy Boughs” by Ben Moore

Read the complete lyrics to "Ah, Happy, Happy Boughs" by Ben Moore from the album "Eight Songs". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Ah, Happy, Happy Boughs" is performed by Ben Moore. from the album "Eight Songs" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Ah, Happy, Happy Boughs", explore more songs by Ben Moore using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Ah, Happy, Happy Boughs" is credited to Ben Moore. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Ah, Happy, Happy Boughs" appears on "Eight Songs".

Visit the Ben Moore artist page at /artist/ben-moore for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.