A MAIDEN sat in an apple tree,
Oh, and the blossoms round her!
A maiden sat in an apple tree,
'Twas there that I found her,
'Twas there in a dapple of sun,
In a smother of snow-flake petals,
I saw her swinging
Her feet, and singing
" One, two, three — one, two, three, one,
Two, three"
To the fall of the apple petals:
Ah me!

The maiden, she had laughing eyes,
And her frock was like a cloud,
And the voice of her was like her eyes,
And softer than a cloud,
And over me came sudden spell,
Hearing the falling, " one — two — three"
Of the maiden's counting
And the snow-flakes mounting
At the foot of the apple-tree;
One fell,
Two fell, and three, and the spell on me;
Ah well!

A shudder ran like a run of wind
Over the apple tree; she
Felt the wind, but only a wind
Stirring the apple tree;
It was the wind of life
Trimming the Spring; what but Summer's breath
Taking the swinging
Feet, and singing —
" one, two, three — one, two, three — one, two" — Death!
Oh Spring,
To maid of the flowering apple-breath