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