Where Lilies Live and Waters Wind Away Verses by F. W. Bourdillon: Pictures by Edith J. Berkeley |
 |
THE DESERTED HOUSE.
|
 | Where Lilies Live and Waters Wind Away |  |
THE DESERTED HOUSE.
Nobody lives here now!
The wind and rain
Come driving through the broken pane,
Nobody minding how.
The wind and rain
Come driving through the broken pane,
Nobody minding how.
Mother told me once a story,
Which she said was simple truth,
How an old man grey and hoary,
Who had run away in youth,
Came back to this house one day
From a country far away.
Which she said was simple truth,
How an old man grey and hoary,
Who had run away in youth,
Came back to this house one day
From a country far away.
But he found the house left lonely,
And the garden, once so neat,
Overgrown with weeds; and only
As it used to be, this seat.
And he sat here, till the day
Faded in the West away.
And the garden, once so neat,
Overgrown with weeds; and only
As it used to be, this seat.
And he sat here, till the day
Faded in the West away.
Suddenly he saw before him
Someone coming to the place,
And a wondrous joy came o'er him,
When he saw the woman's face.
She was wrinkled, old and grey,
But he knew her face that day.
Someone coming to the place,
And a wondrous joy came o'er him,
When he saw the woman's face.
She was wrinkled, old and grey,
But he knew her face that day.
And he knew she was his sister,
And he called her by her name,
Took her in his arms and kissed her;
And she told him how she came
From the almshouse every day
To that seat, for him to pray.
And he called her by her name,
Took her in his arms and kissed her;
And she told him how she came
From the almshouse every day
To that seat, for him to pray.
Mother said they lived together
In this cottage till they died;
Then 'twas left to wind and weather.
In the churchyard side by side
They are sleeping, and their green
Grassy graves may yet be seen.
In this cottage till they died;
Then 'twas left to wind and weather.
In the churchyard side by side
They are sleeping, and their green
Grassy graves may yet be seen.
So nobody lives here now!
The wind and rain
Come driving through the broken pane,
Nobody minding how.
The wind and rain
Come driving through the broken pane,
Nobody minding how.
| Where Lilies Live and Waters Wind Away | |