Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (18331908). A Victorian Anthology, 18371895. 1895. |
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The Mahogany Tree |
| William Makepeace Thackeray (181163) |
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CHRISTMAS is here; | |
Winds whistle shrill, | |
Icy and chill, | |
Little care we; | |
Little we fear | 5 |
Weather without, | |
Shelterd about | |
The Mahogany Tree. | |
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Once on the boughs | |
Birds of rare plume | 10 |
Sang, in its bloom; | |
Night birds are we; | |
Here we carouse, | |
Singing, like them, | |
Perchd round the stem | 15 |
Of the jolly old tree. | |
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Here let us sport, | |
Boys, as we sit | |
Laughter and wit | |
Flashing so free. | 20 |
Life is but short | |
When we are gone, | |
Let them sing on, | |
Round the old tree. | |
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Evenings we knew, | 25 |
Happy as this; | |
Faces we miss, | |
Pleasant to see. | |
Kind hearts and true, | |
Gentle and just, | 30 |
Peace to your dust! | |
We sing round the tree. | |
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Care, like a dun, | |
Lurks at the gate: | |
Let the dog wait; | 35 |
Happy we ll be! | |
Drink every one; | |
Pile up the coals, | |
Fill the red bowls, | |
Round the old tree. | 40 |
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Drain we the cup. | |
Friend, art afraid? | |
Spirits are laid | |
In the Red Sea. | |
Mantle it up; | 45 |
Empty it yet; | |
Let us forget, | |
Round the old tree. | |
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Sorrows, begone! | |
Life and its ills, | 50 |
Duns and their bills, | |
Bid we to flee. | |
Come with the dawn, | |
Blue-devil sprite, | |
Leave us to-night, | 55 |
Round the old tree. | |
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