University of Virginia Library

ROUND THE OLD BOARD

Vigintennial Dinner, Class of 1853

Round the old board once more we feast together!
Thrice and again our hearts have drawn us here;
Long have we sailed, in fair and stormy weather;
Here we are in port, though we 've voyaged many a year.
Each a tale can tell—like him of Homer's story,
Patient Ulysses upon the sounding main;
Some have gathered gold, and some have gotten glory:
Round the old board we sit and feast again!

Chorus:
Yale, old Yale! the same old elms above us!
Comrades, are ye here, the mates that never fail?
Some have sought the skies, we know their spirits love us;
Some in far-off places are thinking of old Yale.

Twenty years syne! the shadow eastward passes;
Faster, every one, the seasons take their flight;
Though our time has come to sing Eheu! fugaces,
Round the old board we'll not be sad to-night!
Twenty years syne,—when we were spruce and slender,—
Larger now our waistbands, alack and well-a-day!
Still in our hearts there 's something true and tender;
Boys we are to-night, though our heads are turning gray.

Chorus:
Yale, old Yale, etc.

Round the old board, with talk and song and laughter,
Each unto each shall gossip of his lot;
Here at Life's noon we look before and after;
Glad let us be, then, nor sigh for what is not.
Peace to the Dead! the spoiler has bereft us;
Dear are their names when the red wine is poured!
Drain we the cup to every comrade left us,
Near ones and far ones, round the old board.

Chorus:
Yale, old Yale! the same old elms above us!
Comrades, are ye here, the mates that never fail?
Some have sought the skies, we know their spirits love us;
Some in far-off places are thinking of old Yale.