Poems By William Walsham How ... New and Enlarged Edition |
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Christmas Holly.
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36
Christmas Holly.
Oh! warm, ye gleams of early years,
Around my heart ye throng,
Till melting streams of frozen tears
Flow down, with ancient song.
Around my heart ye throng,
Till melting streams of frozen tears
Flow down, with ancient song.
Old words all linked with childish glee,—
Old thoughts remembered now,—
The ring of bells,—the frosted tree,—
The sparkling holly-bough,—
Old thoughts remembered now,—
The ring of bells,—the frosted tree,—
The sparkling holly-bough,—
The hymn we said with happy pride
To those that are no more,—
The tune we heard in church, and tried
To sing, when church was o'er,—
To those that are no more,—
The tune we heard in church, and tried
To sing, when church was o'er,—
All memories of joyous things,
That were unto the boy,
The mirth of this glad season brings
To stir the man with joy.
That were unto the boy,
The mirth of this glad season brings
To stir the man with joy.
37
The holly from its darkling leaves
Old feelings raineth down,
And old old dreams the chiming weaves,
That cometh from the town.
Old feelings raineth down,
And old old dreams the chiming weaves,
That cometh from the town.
But chief of all a charm there lies
To fill the pondering soul
In that sweet chant that from the skies
O'er Bethlehem's shepherds stole.
To fill the pondering soul
In that sweet chant that from the skies
O'er Bethlehem's shepherds stole.
What tho' the passing of the hours
Has softened all the view,
And on the light of spring-time bowers
Are tints of mellower hue,—
Has softened all the view,
And on the light of spring-time bowers
Are tints of mellower hue,—
'Tis sweet to blend with calm content
Light-hearted joys long flown,
Soft shadows of a merriment
That may not now be known.
Light-hearted joys long flown,
Soft shadows of a merriment
That may not now be known.
I would not now those joys replace,
That light heart of the past,
To lose the melancholy grace
That years upon them cast.
That light heart of the past,
To lose the melancholy grace
That years upon them cast.
One single note I would not drown,
Though sad the cadence be,
Of that sweet song that trembleth down
From soaring memory.
Though sad the cadence be,
Of that sweet song that trembleth down
From soaring memory.
38
Oh! happy they who harmonize
The man's deep earnest part
With strains of simple songs that rise
From childhood's joyous heart.
The man's deep earnest part
With strains of simple songs that rise
From childhood's joyous heart.
And oh! that ever, as I go
My destined way on earth,
I could but bid around me flow
Such tones of heavenly birth!
My destined way on earth,
I could but bid around me flow
Such tones of heavenly birth!
Yet long long seasons still there are
When these sweet songs are dumb,
When holy things seem faint and far,
And life grows wearisome;—
When these sweet songs are dumb,
When holy things seem faint and far,
And life grows wearisome;—
When manhood's fire, and boyhood's glee,
Alike lie cold and dead;—
When faith lacks strength to rise and see
The great things overhead;—
Alike lie cold and dead;—
When faith lacks strength to rise and see
The great things overhead;—
When fervour pines, and zeal and love
And interest decay;—
When duties flag, and slowly move
The footsteps of the day.
And interest decay;—
When duties flag, and slowly move
The footsteps of the day.
Oh! then I sometimes wish that I
Were such as I have known,
Whose gladsome moments lightly fly,
As they have ever flown.—
Were such as I have known,
Whose gladsome moments lightly fly,
As they have ever flown.—
39
Yet better the calm work of man
Than gladness of the boy;—
So let me work the while I can,—
And leave to God the joy.
Than gladness of the boy;—
So let me work the while I can,—
And leave to God the joy.
(1848.)
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