 | The Burden of the Bell and Other Lyrics |  |
89
A CITY LYRIC.
'Midst the crowd I needs must linger,
Aye, and labour day by day,
But I send my thoughts to wander,
And my fancies far away.
In the flesh I'm cloud-encompassed,
Through the gloom my path doth lie;
In the spirit, by cool waters,
Under sunny skies, am I.
Aye, and labour day by day,
But I send my thoughts to wander,
And my fancies far away.
In the flesh I'm cloud-encompassed,
Through the gloom my path doth lie;
In the spirit, by cool waters,
Under sunny skies, am I.
Do not pity me, my brother,
I can see your fountains play;
I can see your streams meander,
Flashing in the golden ray.
And mine ear doth drink your music,
Song of birds or rippling leaves,
Or the reaper's stave, sung blithely,
Mid the ripe brown barley sheaves.
I can see your fountains play;
I can see your streams meander,
Flashing in the golden ray.
And mine ear doth drink your music,
Song of birds or rippling leaves,
Or the reaper's stave, sung blithely,
Mid the ripe brown barley sheaves.
I go forth at will, and gather
Flowers from gardens trim and fair;
Or amongst the shady woodlands,
Cull the sweet blooms lurking there.
Little wot you, O my brother,
While I toil with sweat of brow,
Of the leisure that doth wait me
'Neath the far-off forest bough.
Little wot you, looking upward
At the smoke-wreaths lowering there,
That my vision is not bounded
By this dull and murky air;
That these thick, close streets and alleys
At my bidding vanish quite,
And the meadows ope before me,
And the green hills crowned with light.
Flowers from gardens trim and fair;
Or amongst the shady woodlands,
Cull the sweet blooms lurking there.
90
While I toil with sweat of brow,
Of the leisure that doth wait me
'Neath the far-off forest bough.
Little wot you, looking upward
At the smoke-wreaths lowering there,
That my vision is not bounded
By this dull and murky air;
That these thick, close streets and alleys
At my bidding vanish quite,
And the meadows ope before me,
And the green hills crowned with light.
Do not pity me, my brother,
God's dear love to me hath given
Comfort mid the strife and turmoil,
And some blessings under heaven.
In the flesh I'm cloud-encompassed,
Through the gloom my footsteps stray,
But I send my thoughts to wander,
And my fancies far away,
And they bring me strength for trial,
And sweet solace day by day.
God's dear love to me hath given
Comfort mid the strife and turmoil,
And some blessings under heaven.
In the flesh I'm cloud-encompassed,
Through the gloom my footsteps stray,
But I send my thoughts to wander,
And my fancies far away,
And they bring me strength for trial,
And sweet solace day by day.
| The Burden of the Bell and Other Lyrics | |