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National Lyrics, and Songs for Music/Come away!

From Wikisource
For other versions of this work, see Come Away!.


COME AWAY!*[1]




Come away!—the child, where flowers are springing
    Round its footsteps on the mountain slope,
Hears a glad voice from the upland singing,
    Like the sky-lark's with its tone of hope:
Come away!

Bounding on, with sunny lands before him,
    All the wealth of glowing life outspread,
Ere the shadow of a cloud comes o'er him,
    By that strain the youth in joy is led:
Come away!


Slowly, sadly, heavy change is falling
    O'er the sweetness of the voice within;
Yet its tones, on restless manhood calling,
    Urge the hunter still to chase, to win:
Come away!

Come away!—the heart, at last forsaken,
    Smile by smile, hath prov'd each hope untrue;
Yet a breath can still those words awaken,
    Tho' to other shores far hence they woo:
Come away!

In the light leaves, in the reed's faint sighing,
    In the low sweet sounds of early spring,
Still their music wanders—till the dying
    Hears them pass, as on a spirit's wing:
Come away!

  1. * This song is in the possession of Mr. Power, to be set to music