 | Moral songs |  |
THE SWALLOW.
Where are you going, faithless swallow,
Fast drifting down the autumn sky?
Along the path I cannot follow,
Not even with my dizzy eye,
Why should you fly away so fast,
Because the summer day is past?
Fast drifting down the autumn sky?
Along the path I cannot follow,
Not even with my dizzy eye,
Why should you fly away so fast,
Because the summer day is past?
17
How oft when rosy morning gilded
Our roof, I heard you through the leaves,
Soft twittering round the nest you builded
Close underneath our cottage eaves,
Or watched your quick wings to and fro,
Before my window come, and go.
Our roof, I heard you through the leaves,
Soft twittering round the nest you builded
Close underneath our cottage eaves,
Or watched your quick wings to and fro,
Before my window come, and go.
While yet the early dew was drying
Upon the roses on the wall;
And in their clay-built shelter lying,
I heard your hungry children's call,
That pretty nest I never stirred;
Why should you go, ungrateful bird?
Upon the roses on the wall;
And in their clay-built shelter lying,
I heard your hungry children's call,
That pretty nest I never stirred;
Why should you go, ungrateful bird?
You stayed there all the summer season,
Till we like two old friends had grown,
And now, you're going, for no reason,
But that its pleasant days are flown.
Ah, swallow, it would never do,
If all my friends should prove like you.
Till we like two old friends had grown,
And now, you're going, for no reason,
But that its pleasant days are flown.
Ah, swallow, it would never do,
If all my friends should prove like you.
For friends should be as true in sorrow,
As when our hearts are light and gay,
They should not run away to-morrow,
Because 'tis sadder than to-day;
But stay, and cheer, and soothe us still,
In hours of darkness, want, or ill.
As when our hearts are light and gay,
They should not run away to-morrow,
Because 'tis sadder than to-day;
But stay, and cheer, and soothe us still,
In hours of darkness, want, or ill.
But you would stay beside me, only
When summer skies are bright and clear,
And leave me now all sad, and lonely,
To wear away the closing year.
I see your little cloven tail,
A speck before the northern gale.
When summer skies are bright and clear,
And leave me now all sad, and lonely,
To wear away the closing year.
18
A speck before the northern gale.
Go, summer and false friend, together,
And welcome, pure unselfish hearts,
The love that's true in any weather,
The friend that no misfortune parts.
I have no heart for him to share,
Who only loves when skies are fair.
And welcome, pure unselfish hearts,
The love that's true in any weather,
The friend that no misfortune parts.
I have no heart for him to share,
Who only loves when skies are fair.
| Moral songs | |