 | The Burden of the Bell and Other Lyrics |  |
140
AN OVER-SEA GREETING.
Over the water, what shall I send to you,
O friends afar?
Hearken! I greet you with right merry laughter,
Ha ha! ha ha!
Hearken! 'Twill reach you, howe'er winds and billows
Wage their fierce war—
Shake your sides lustily—clink the glass jollily,
O friends afar!
O friends afar?
Hearken! I greet you with right merry laughter,
Ha ha! ha ha!
Hearken! 'Twill reach you, howe'er winds and billows
Wage their fierce war—
Shake your sides lustily—clink the glass jollily,
O friends afar!
And with the laughter, send I, true hearted,
Kind thoughts also;
Earnest thoughts, loving thoughts, thoughts of home-gatherings,
Long, long ago.
When the gay song hath ceased, when the loud wassail
Dieth away,
Think of me lovingly, aye, and undoubtingly,
O friends, I pray!
Kind thoughts also;
Earnest thoughts, loving thoughts, thoughts of home-gatherings,
Long, long ago.
When the gay song hath ceased, when the loud wassail
Dieth away,
Think of me lovingly, aye, and undoubtingly,
O friends, I pray!
141
For be it known to you, over the water,
Friends, every one,
That to me Christmas bringeth in sadness,
His frost alone.
Whilome, he brought me hearth and heart brightness,
Bringing me you—
Whilome!—ah! well may I claim your mirth-pauses,
Good friends and true!
Friends, every one,
That to me Christmas bringeth in sadness,
His frost alone.
Whilome, he brought me hearth and heart brightness,
Bringing me you—
Whilome!—ah! well may I claim your mirth-pauses,
Good friends and true!
Loud blows the wind without—well I remember
How in old times,
Gladder our hearts became, listening in silence
To its wild chimes.
Now with what dreariness, that sound doth sway me,
Ye may divine;—
Sitting alone, beset by haunting memories,
O friends of mine!
How in old times,
Gladder our hearts became, listening in silence
To its wild chimes.
Now with what dreariness, that sound doth sway me,
Ye may divine;—
Sitting alone, beset by haunting memories,
O friends of mine!
Homeward, with straining eyes, through the deep shadows,
Wistful I gaze;
Blazing hearths, blythesome looks, smiles and gay glances,
Shine through the haze.
Then most my household gods, stone cold do mock me—
Then most I own,
That to me Christmas bringeth in sadness
His frost alone.
Wistful I gaze;
Blazing hearths, blythesome looks, smiles and gay glances,
Shine through the haze.
Then most my household gods, stone cold do mock me—
Then most I own,
142
His frost alone.
So, as it oft doth hap in the world's chances,
My stave that rose
Jocund in greeting, full of lip-laughter,
With sighs doth close.
Nay, and yet not with sighs,—hope shall come after—
Hope that ere long
I may have ceased to say ‘over the water,’
As in this song:
Be it so speedily! shrine that hope faithfully
Your hopes among!
My stave that rose
Jocund in greeting, full of lip-laughter,
With sighs doth close.
Nay, and yet not with sighs,—hope shall come after—
Hope that ere long
I may have ceased to say ‘over the water,’
As in this song:
Be it so speedily! shrine that hope faithfully
Your hopes among!
Fill then the glass again—let us drink gravely,
God's grace to all!
Light heart, and steadfast mind, trusting, enduring,
Whate'er befall!
God's Grace—renew the song, no more sad fancies,
That thought to mar;—
Clink the glass cordially, laugh again merrily,
O friends afar!
God's grace to all!
Light heart, and steadfast mind, trusting, enduring,
Whate'er befall!
God's Grace—renew the song, no more sad fancies,
That thought to mar;—
Clink the glass cordially, laugh again merrily,
O friends afar!
| The Burden of the Bell and Other Lyrics | |