The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay With Illustrations by John Gilbert |
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AN AUTUMNAL LYRIC. |
 | The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay |  |
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AN AUTUMNAL LYRIC.
I
How liberal and lovelyIs all the varied year!
The Winter only showers,
And the Summer only flowers,
To bring ripe Autumn here.
When roar'd the wintry tempest,
When fell the sleet and snow,
When rush'd the mountain torrents
In vernal overflow;
When fell the sweet spring blossoms
Into the lap of June,
And leaves grew thick and juicy
In many a summer noon:
'Twas all for sake of Autumn,
So bountiful and free—
'Twas all for the golden harvest—
'Twas all for thee and me!
II
We've lost the Spring-time glories,And pomp of Summer's day;
We prized them well and truly,
But form'd no wish unduly
That all the months were May.
We knew, and we were grateful,
That after these had fled,
The wheat-stalk, fully laden,
Would bear a heavy head;
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And filberts cluster brown,
And winds through orchards roving
Shake pulpy apples down.
We knew that fruitful Autumn
Would smile on field and tree,
And pour its annual treasure,
And all for thee and me!
III
And now that we have garner'dThe tribute of the year,
We 'll seek our humble fellows
For whom no corn-field yellows,
And bid them to our cheer.
And, grateful for the blessings
So bounteously bestow'd,
We'll share them with the needy
That meet us on the road;
With the gleaner and the beggar,
And the man of low estate,—
With the widow and the orphan,
And the stranger at our gate.
So shall the Autumn bless us,
And Heaven be pleased to see;
And the prayers of the sorrow-stricken
Ascend for thee and me!
| The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay | |