If I Were King
If I were king---ah love,
if I were king!
What tributary nations would
I bring
To stoop before your sceptre
and to swear
Allegiance to you lips and eyes and hair.
Beneath your feet what treaseures I would fling:---
The stars should be your pearls upon a string,
The world a ruby for your finger ring,
And you should have the sun and moon to wear
If i were king.
Let these wild dreams and wilder words take wing,
Deep in the woods I hear a shepherd sing
A simple ballad to a sylvan air,
Of love that ever finds your face more fair.
I could not give you any godlier thing
If I were king.