A Song in the Night.
Sing, oh sing, for the night is
dark, and the dawning tarries
long,1
long,1
And the woe of the land of shadowing wings is stilled by the
sound of song.2
sound of song.2
There is never a light on the land to-night, there is never a star
in the sky,3
in the sky,3
Only the glance of the lightning’s lance and the white waves
leaping high.4
leaping high.4
‘ Where winter’s royal robe of snows5
And knightly corselet gleam,6
Lie hid the fragrance of the rose,7
The music of the stream,8
‘ Waiting until the days shall bring,9
From out the golden south,10
The fairy Prince to find the Spring,11
And kiss her on the mouth.12
‘ He comes, although he tarries long ;13
And then, my heart, ah then14
The stream shall sing the hills among,15
The rose shall bloom again.’16
Sing, oh sing, for the words are sweet and the night is full of
fear,17
fear,17
The nameless terror that flies abroad in the darkness draws
anear ;18
anear ;18
The pale sea cries to the murky skies, and the sword of a song
alone19
alone19
Can sever the spell that the powers of hell o’er the tortured earth
have thrown.20
have thrown.20
‘ By her fairy lover kissed,21
She from happy dreams shall waken,22
When the shining silver mist23
Winds of dawn to gold have shaken,24
‘ When she wakes across the hills25
Swift shall dart the happy swallow,26
And the golden daffodils27
Dance in every misty hollow.28
‘ When the glory of her eyes29
Meets his eyes that shine above her,30
Music clear and glad shall rise31
Sweet from lawn and leafy cover.32
‘ Far through an enchanted land,33
Where the winds with song are laden,34
They shall wander, hand in hand,35
Happy youth and happy maiden.36
‘ Westward, ever westward drawn,37
Birds and blossoms with them bringing,38
They shall follow with the dawn39
Till they hear the sea’s wild singing.’40
Soft sighs the breeze, and stars in the east grow pale,41
Shines far on the seas a boat with a silver sail,42
Silver buds on the trees and a silver song in the vale.43
‘ Away, away, by creek and bay,44
Their fairy bark they steer,45
One long delight, by day and night,46
Through all the golden year.47
The sea-birds swing on tireless wing,48
The waves, with rhythmic beat,49
For evermore along the shore50
Their world-old song repeat.51
And borne on winds afar,52
The silver echoes fill53
The vault of heaven from star to star,54
The earth from hill to hill.’55
Sing, oh sing, for the night is past, the sun shines over the sea,56
And the heart of the world is a song of love and hope for the
days to be ;57
days to be ;57
The terror that flies through the midnight skies and the powers
of the dark are gone ;58
of the dark are gone ;58
Till the music fills the echoing hills, heart of my heart sing on !59