To my excellent friend John Berry Esq.
Mount Vernon, NY
from "Henry Tucker's Favorite Songs" (#1)
"Heartsease" (1878)
Song and Chorus (ad lib)
by Henry Tucker

1.
Once I wept to gather heartsease
When the bright sun sank to rest,
Drawing all his sheaves of sunlight
To his garner in the west.
When the blossoms and the bright leaves
Losing all their golden glow
In the slowly gath'ring twilight
Faintly flutter'd to and fro.
All the ground was starr'd with May-blooms
Ev'rywhere they met my eye,
But I want to gather "heartsease,"
So I pass'd all others by.

CHORUS
All the ground was starr'd with May-blooms,
Ev'rywhere the met my eye,
But I want to gather "heartsease,"
So I pass'd all others by.

2.
Oh! my was ne'er so joyous
As it was in those glad hours,
When I wander'd light and careless
Near the woodside gath'ring flow'rs.
Then I gave them all to you dear,
And I look'd up to your face,
And I wander'd I could fancy
That the flow'rs had any grace
Then it was I gather'd "heartease,"
Then it was dear heart I found
That the glory of the May-bloom
Did not lie upon the ground.

(CHORUS)