New Year's Eve

If you're waking call me early, call me early, mother dear, For I would see the sun rise upon the glad New-year. It is the last New-year that I shall ever see, Then you may lay me low i' the mould and think no more of me.

To-night I saw the sun set: he set and left behind The good old year, the dear old time, and all my peace of mind; And the New-year's coming up, mother, but I shall never see The blossom on [1] the blackthorn, the leaf upon the tree.

Last May we made a crown of flowers: we had a merry day; Beneath the hawthorn on the green they made me Queen of May; And we danced about the may-pole and in the hazel copse, Till Charles's Wain came out above the tall white chimney-tops.

There's not a flower on all the hills: the frost is on the pane: I only wish to live till the snowdrops come again: I wish the snow would melt and the sun come out on high: I long to see a flower so before the day I die.

The building rook'll caw from the windy tall elm-tree, And the tufted plover pipe along the fallow lea, And the swallow'll come back again with summer o'er the wave. But I shall lie alone, mother, within the mouldering grave.

Upon the chancel-casement, and upon that grave of mine, In the early, early morning the summer sun'll shine, Before the red cock crows from the farm upon the hill, When you are warm-asleep, mother, and all the world is still.

When the flowers come again, mother, beneath the waning light You'll never see me more in the long gray fields at night; When from the dry dark wold the summer airs blow cool On the oat-grass and the sword-grass, and the bulrush in the pool.

You'll bury me, [2] my mother, just beneath the hawthorn shade, And you'll come [3] sometimes and see me where I am lowly laid. I shall not forget you, mother, I shall hear you when you pass,[4] With your feet above my head in the long and pleasant grass.

I have been wild and wayward, but you'll forgive [5] me now; You'll kiss me, my own mother, and forgive me ere I go; [6] Nay, nay, you must not weep, [7] nor let your grief be wild, You should not fret for me, mother, you [8] have another child.

If I can I'll come again, mother, from out my resting-place; Tho' you'll [9] not see me, mother, I shall look upon your face; Tho' I cannot speak a word, 1 shall harken what you [10] say, And be often, often with you when you think [11] I'm far away.

Good-night, good-night, when I have said good-night for evermore, And you [12] see me carried out from the threshold of the door; Don't let Effie come to see me till my grave be growing green: She'll be a better child to you than ever I have been.

She'll find my garden-tools upon the granary floor: Let her take 'em: they are hers: I shall never garden more: But tell her, when I'm gone, to train the rose-bush that I set About the parlour-window and the box of mignonette.

Good-night, sweet mother: