 | Flotsam and Jetsam |  |
17
SONG FOR A FAMILY PARTY.
I
Ye whose veins are like your glassesFrom the same old vineyard fed
With a racy generous liquor
Which may Time keep running red!
Come, old friends and near relations,
Take the oath we couch in song;
Hand-in-hand come pledge it fairly,
All who've known each other long!
II
Green heads, grey heads, join in chorus,All who can or cannot sing;
Put your hearts into your voices
Till we make the old house ring!
Let us swear by all that's kindly,
All the ties of old and young,
We will always know each other
As we've known each other long!
18
III
By the house we oft have shaken—House where most of us were born—
When the dance grew wild and romping,
And we kept it up till morn!
By the old convivial table
Where we oft have mustered strong;
By the glasses we have emptied
To each other's health so long!
IV
By our schoolboy freaks together,In old days with mischief rife—
Fellowship when youth on pleasure
Flung away redundant life!
By bereavements mourned in common;
By the hopes, a fluttering throng,
We have felt when home returning,
Parted from each other long!
V
By the fathers, who before us,Silver-haired together grew,
Who so long revered each other—
Let us swear to be as true!
19
E'er shall creep our ranks among,
E'er make strangers of the kinsmen
Who have known each other long!
VI
No! whate'er our creed or party,Riches, rank, or poverty,
With a second home—without one,
True and trusty still we'll be!
Still we'll drink and dance together,
Gather still in muster strong,
And for ever know each other,
As we've known each other long!
1837.
| Flotsam and Jetsam | |