To be near thee

As the flowers turn sunward their faces

To welcome their lord's early ray;

As the ivy the oak tree embraces

As the wave to the shore finds its way,

As the bee flies afar to the clover,

As the brook follows onto the sea,

E'en thus the world over and over

Would I, dearest heart, follow thee.

To be near thee, darling, to be near thee

Is sunlight of my life to me,

'Tis like a happy dream to hear thee

Say tenderly, “I love but thee.”

To be near thee, parting from thee never

All other joys of life I'd give.

My heart is in thy keeping ever

For thee to die, for thee to live.

In the byways of doubting and dreaming

I've followed thee smiling through tears,

With faint hope like a will-o'-wisp gleaming

Afar in the night of my fears.

But dark forests no longer surround thee,

All the danger and doubting are past.

My journey is over, I've found thee,

'Tis here I shall meet thee at last.

To be near thee, darling, to be near thee

Is sunlight of my life to me,

'Tis like a happy dream to hear thee

Say tenderly, “I love but thee.”

To be near thee, parting from thee never

All other joys of life I'd give.

My heart is in thy keeping ever

For thee to die, for thee to live.