Awake, arise, you dead men all-dead women waken you AWAKE, arise, you dead men all-dead women waken you The hunters moon is in the sky-her cruse of frosty dew The hunters moon is in the sky-her cruse of frosty dew Earth empties; throw your covers off, of grave grass, rank and green; Earth empties; throw your covers off, of grave grass, rank and green; This is the dead men's holiday, ' tis Hal- lows e'en. This is the dead men's holiday, 'tis Hallows e'en. The mother with her buried child falls into tender play, The baby at her shrouded breast sucks soft and sleeps away, The mother with her buried child falls into tender play, The lover dead twelve years ago seeks out his buried dear The baby at her shrouded breast sucks soft and sleeps away, That put her broken heart to sleep but yesteryear. The lover dead twelve years ago seeks out his buried dear "Behold, my love, my hair is black, your bonny hair is white. That put her broken heart to sleep but yesteryear. How come my darling's eyes so dim?" "With weeping many a night, With sewing many a weary day through years that knew not you, But I have done with rosemary and bitter rue. Behold. my love, my hair is black, your bonny hair is white. "My garland of dry rosemary hangs where I used to pray, How come my darling's eyes so dim ?" My garden with its tansy flowers runs wild for many a day; With weeping many a night, The box plants that I tended well the passing children pull- With sewing many a weary day through years that knew not you. The green leaves strew the way they go, slow foot to school. "And I have done with lessons now, have said my task all through, And I may rest at last, sweetheart, as once I played with you." But I have done with rosemary and bit- ter rue. He kisses her, he blesses her, he strokes her faded hair- My garland of dry rosemary hangs where I used to pray, She never was so dear to him when she was fair. My garden with its tansy flowers runs wild for many a day; Brother and sister parted long by bitter words and blind The box plants that I tended well the passing children pull- Forget the years of severed ways with old love in their minds. The beggar that of hunger died, the girl that died of shame, Are playing with dead children now some childish game. The green leaves strew the way they go, slow foot to school. Husband and wife forget the wrong that kept their souls apart- And I have done with lessons now, have said my task all through, Hand lies in hand as tenderly as heart beats upon heart. And I may rest at last, sweetheart, as once I played with you." This is the day for buried love to see as it is seen, He kisses her, he blesses her, he strokes her faded hair- This is the dead men's holiday-All Hallows e'en. She never was so dear to him when she was fair. Brother and sister parted long by bitter words and blind Forget the years of severed ways with old love in their minds. The beggar that of hunger died, the girl that died of shame, Are playing with dead children now some childish game. Husband and wife forget the wrong that kept their souls apart Hand lies in hand as tenderly as heart beats upon heart. This is the day for buried love to see as it is seen, This is the dead men's holiday - All Hallows e'en. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LINES WRITTEN IN SWITZERLAND by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES E.W.T.: ON THE DEATH OF HIS BETTY by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN SONG, FR. A VISION OF GIORGIONE: GEMMA'S SONG ON THE WAY by GORDON BOTTOMLEY |