Not difficult to interpret and all comments are broadly correct. But one or two English expressions that I think you might have overlooked. I believe it is August's "ready lass" who may be April's fool (i.e. a girl who is willing to let this man have his way with her). She is also the "poor maid" (not old maid) who has been seduced by the country man who knows that he is attractive and glamorous to girls like her and cyncically lies to them about it being "love and not just lust". They get to the remote spot on a horse - his horse - because it's an hour's ride away, but she ends up walking back. He's gone and she won't see him again ... but he might have left something to remember him by come next April. Some of the sexual imagery is quite crude, but combined with the bucolic setting and the summer twilight it very successfully conveys a lustful atmosphere of youthful sap rising. And as ever with Jethro Tull, especially on this album, you have the impression that the action is set about 200 years ago without it specifically being mentioned. The shame of the pregnancy will therefore be that much more damaging - the "poor maid" is probably living a harsh rural existence and this will not help matters. Clever stuff.
Not difficult to interpret and all comments are broadly correct. But one or two English expressions that I think you might have overlooked. I believe it is August's "ready lass" who may be April's fool (i.e. a girl who is willing to let this man have his way with her). She is also the "poor maid" (not old maid) who has been seduced by the country man who knows that he is attractive and glamorous to girls like her and cyncically lies to them about it being "love and not just lust". They get to the remote spot on a horse - his horse - because it's an hour's ride away, but she ends up walking back. He's gone and she won't see him again ... but he might have left something to remember him by come next April. Some of the sexual imagery is quite crude, but combined with the bucolic setting and the summer twilight it very successfully conveys a lustful atmosphere of youthful sap rising. And as ever with Jethro Tull, especially on this album, you have the impression that the action is set about 200 years ago without it specifically being mentioned. The shame of the pregnancy will therefore be that much more damaging - the "poor maid" is probably living a harsh rural existence and this will not help matters. Clever stuff.