Furtive Love

	I've learned to harbour fast–acting love,

	a love that's noble, stealthy, bold.

	No better purpose for fine words

4	than to tell of furtive love.

	Such is a confidant's anxiety

	that a man's love is best kept secret.

	Whilst we mingled with the crowds,

8	my girl and I, a frivolous pair,

	with no one (unmalicious talk)

	suspecting our responses,

	because of our mutual trust

12	we could dally together for a good while back then;

	nowadays it is more difficult for us,

	because of slander, to exchange three words.

	Ruin on that evil tongue

16	through a knot of torment (mark of misfortune),

	rather than words of slander

	should be cast upon us both, of blameless reputation.

	He was all too glad to be forewarned

20	as we shared a secret in hiding.

	I believed, I worshipped

	my darling's leafy home while the leaves were green.

	How sweet it was, my girl, to bring for an instant

24	our whole world beneath a single birch–grove.

	Embracing together, even more pleasant

	(woodland retreat), hiding together,

	wandering together on the ocean's shore,

28	lingering together at the forest's edge,

	planting birches together, a joyous task,

	weaving together the trees' fair plumage,

	talking of love together, the slender maid and I,

32	surveying together solitary fields.

	It's a free and pleasant calling for a girl

	to walk the woods together with her lover.

	Keeping face together, smiling together,

36	laughing together lip to lip,

	falling down together beside the grove,

	shunning people together, complaining together,

	living together genially, drinking mead together,

40	sharing our affection together, lying together,

	maintaining together in secret

	our true love, there is no more to tell!