|
‘When
spring unfolds the beechen
leaf, and sap is in the bough; |
|
When light is on
the wild-wood stream, and wind is on the brow; |
|
When stride is
long, and breath is deep, and keen the mountain-air, |
|
Come back to me!
Come back to me! And say my land is fair.’ |
|
|
'When
spring is come to garth and
field, and corn is in the blade; |
|
When blossom like
a shining snow is on the orchard laid; |
|
When shower and
sun upon the earth with fragrance fill the air, |
|
I’ll linger here,
and will not come, because my land is fair.' |
|
|
‘When
summer lies upon the world,
and in a noon of gold |
|
Beneath the roof
of sleeping leaves the dreams of trees unfold; |
|
When woodlands
halls are green and cool, and wind is in the
west, |
|
Come back to me!
Come back to me! And say my land is best.’ |
|
|
'When
summer warms the hanging
fruits and burns the berry brown; |
|
When straw is
gold, and ear is white, and harvest comes to town; |
|
When honey spills,
and apple swells, though wind be in the
west, |
|
I’ll linger here
beneath the sun, because my land is best’ |
|
|
‘When
winter comes, the
winter wild that hill and
wood shall slay; |
|
When trees shall
fall and starless night devour the sunless day; |
|
When wind is in
the deadly east, then in the
bitter rain |
|
I’ll look for
thee, and call to thee; I’ll come to thee again.’ |
|
|
‘When
winter comes, and singing
ends; when darkness falls at last; |
|
When broken is the
barren bough, and light and labour past; |
|
I’ll look for
thee, and wait for thee, until we meet again; |
|
Together we will
take the road beneath the bitter rain.’ |
|
|
'Together we will
take the road that leads into the west, |
|
And far away will
find a land where both our hearts may rest.’ |
|
|
