Old Song
Edward FitzGerald
1809 to 1883
Track 1
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So merrily—
I do retire
Naught passes between us,
Of knights and lorn damsels,
By Heaven! the bold sun
To see the year dying,
So merrily!
Set the yellow wood sighing:
But gladsome, gladsome!
We kneel on the knee,
Or, to get merry,
Go we, go we,
Silent and snug:
When winter winds
And ere to bed
And sometimes a tear
Sighing, O sighing!
I talk of our youth—
For all to be seen
Is with me in the room
Save a brown jug—
We sing some old rhyme
Gallant chivalry!
I jump up like mad,
And the meadows are green!
When such a time cometh
Swallows soaring between;
Sometimes!
Thus, then, live I
And there I sit
Reading of summer
Then go we smoking,
Break the old pipe in twain,
Into an old room
Till, ’mid all the gloom,
Beside a bright fire:
The spring is alive,
Is the leaves falling fast:
And away to the meadows,
Down on the ashes
Sweet summer time!
Falling, falling!
I never look out
Will rise in each eye,
Tis a dull sight
Shining, shining!
Like a cricket, sit I,
Seeing the two old friends
Reading old things,
While the wind sings—
In summer time—
O, drearily sings!
O, pile a bright fire!
Foolish, forsooth:
The meadows again!
Then the clouds part,
Then with an old friend
But close at the hearth,
Nor attend to the blast;
Praying together!
And chivalry—
That made the wood ring again
How ’twas gladsome, but often
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