 | The Music of Stephen C. Foster . |  |
174
I WOULD NOT DIE IN SUMMER TIME
[1]
I would not die in Summer timeWhen hearts are light and free,
And joy is borne from every clime
O'er mountain, stream and lea.
I would not leave the friends I know,
Beguiled of hope and cheer,
To lose in burning tears of woe
The glad time of the year.
[2]
Oh! no, I would not pass awayWhen, from the leafy grove,
The red bird carols all the day
Its song of joy and love;
When merry warblers trill their notes
From every bush and tree,
And on the breeze, an anthem floats
Of heaven-born melody.
[3]
I would not die in Summer time,And lie within the tomb,
When blushing fruits are in their prime,
And fields are in their bloom;
For I would reap the yellow grain
And bind it in the sheaves;
Then die when Autumn winds complain
Among the blighted leaves.
| The Music of Stephen C. Foster . | |