When, Love, I Need Thee Most

At morn when gentle breezes play,
When sunshine lightens up the day,
When ripples shake the ocean's coast,
Or when the wind its powers boast,
At night, when all is drear and dark,
When skies forbid a single spark;
In winter, when the low winds whine,
Or summer, with its mellow chime;
When flowers nod their dainty head,
Or yet, when leaves lie prone and dead;

When I delight thy face to see,
Or would that love should come to me,
I cannot say when best the time,
For, love, I need thee all the time.

If breezes soft sweep o'er my brow,
My heart cries, love, I need thee now;
If storms of sorrow darkly come,
I weep for love, and feel alone.
If skies are blue, and bright and fair,
Or when the white down floats in air,
In mirthful song, or mournful rhyme,
Come, love, I need thee all the time.

To help me sorrows great to bear,
Or in my love's Elysium share;
I shall not note the season's change,
And trouble will be ever strange,
If brightly still love's flame doth shine,
I need thee, love, yes, all the time.

O, light my path with thy fond voice,
And make my happy heart rejoice;
Be constant, true, until the end,
Thy radiance on my dark way spend;
My life is woven into thine,
So, love, I need thee all the time.