Ask Me Why I Love You

Ask me why I love you, dear,
    And I will ask the rose
Why it loves the dews of Spring
     At the Winter’s close;
Why the blossoms’ nectared sweets
     Loved by questing bee,—
I will gladly answer you,
     If they answer me.

Ask me why I love you, dear,
    And I will ask the flower
Why it loves the Summer sun,
    Or the Summer shower;
I will ask the lover’s heart
     Why it loves the moon,
Or the star-besprinkled skies
     In a night in June.

Ask me why I love you, dear,
    I will ask the vine
Why its tendrils trustingly
    Round the oak entwine;
Why you love the mignonette
    Better than the rue,—
If you will but answer me,
    I will answer you.

Ask me why I love you, dear,
    Let the lark reply,
Why his heart is full of song
   When the twilight’s nigh;
Why the lover heaves a sigh
    When her heart is true;
If you will but answer me,
I will answer you.

Credit

This poem is in the public domain. Published in Poem-a-Day on February 15, 2020, by the Academy of American Poets.

About this Poem

“Ask Me Why I Love You” was originally published in Chords and Discords (The Gorham Press, 1920).

Author

Walter Everette Hawkins

Walter Everette Hawkins was born around 1888 in North Carolina. He is the author of Chords and Discords (The Gorham Press, 1920) and worked as a mail clerk in the post office of the City of Washington.

Date Published: 1920-01-01

Source URL: https://poets.org/poem/ask-me-why-i-love-you-0