Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE SEDER, by J. F.


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE SEDER, by                    
First Line: Ring in the glorious festal-tide
Last Line: This happy festal-tide.
Subject(s): Feasts; Israel; Jews; Judaism


RING in the glorious festal-tide
That dawns o'er land and sea,
Proclaim the story far and wide
That made a people free.

A wondrous tale and often told,
Yet never dim it grows,
And now as in the days of old
No fading light it knows.

But ever fresh and bright it comes
Across the moving years,
And gayly in our festive homes
Rings welcome in our ears.

A table set in spotless white
With gladsome hearts around,
A hallowed scene of joy and light
As nowhere else is found.

The symbols of our feast in line
Before our view are spread,
The bitter herb and mystic wine,
The Paschal meat and bread.

Then from the book of ancient lore
The tale again is told,
With heightened tone and full rich store
Of legend quaint and old.

How Israel came to Egypt's land
And through long years did bide,
How on them Pharaoh laid his hand
In all his godless pride.

Till God, He heard their bitter cry,
And swift His vengeance wrought,
'Mid signs and wonders from on high
The tyrant low was brought.

God led them on to victory:
Freedom crowned their day,
They marched away a people free
With banners high and gay.

And so with praise to God and song,
Israel far and wide
Remembers through the ages long
This happy festal-tide.





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