Poems (Sharpless)/Greeting to the New Year
GREETING TO THE NEW YEAR
With solemn step and slow,
Over the sparkling snow,
His dark robe waving in the midnight air
A veilèd stranger comes
Into our hearts and homes,
And sits beside us in the fireside chair.
Over the sparkling snow,
His dark robe waving in the midnight air
A veilèd stranger comes
Into our hearts and homes,
And sits beside us in the fireside chair.
Strange gifts to us he brings;
Joyous and saddening things;
We cannot guess if welcome he should be;
Yet this we know: his hours,
Tho' crowned with thorns, or flowers,
Have purposes divine, altho' we may not see.
Joyous and saddening things;
We cannot guess if welcome he should be;
Yet this we know: his hours,
Tho' crowned with thorns, or flowers,
Have purposes divine, altho' we may not see.
They must in all fulfill
Our Father's blessed will,
Of love supreme; a saving love to all the souls of men;
And so we need not fear
The face of this new year,
But give a gracious welcome, again and yet again.
Our Father's blessed will,
Of love supreme; a saving love to all the souls of men;
And so we need not fear
The face of this new year,
But give a gracious welcome, again and yet again.
Hail! then thou silent guest!
May all thy days be blest!
The while thou dwellest 'mid the sons of earth:
Blest all thy gifts from Heaven,
In tenderest mercy given,
Whether of solemn death, or yet more solemn birth.
May all thy days be blest!
The while thou dwellest 'mid the sons of earth:
Blest all thy gifts from Heaven,
In tenderest mercy given,
Whether of solemn death, or yet more solemn birth.
And when, thy mission o'er,
Thou go'st, to come no more,
May we remember thee with love and peace;—
Knowing our lives have grown
Richer for all thou'st done,
Nearer the holy land where years shall cease.
Thou go'st, to come no more,
May we remember thee with love and peace;—
Knowing our lives have grown
Richer for all thou'st done,
Nearer the holy land where years shall cease.