| |
| COME! in this cool retreat, | |
| Under the chestnut’s shade, | |
| Far from all noise and heat— | |
| Distant and faint the beat | |
| Of the great city—we two have strayed. | 5 |
| Come, linnet, sing to me, | |
| Sing my soul across the sea. | |
| |
| Sing! let each rippling note | |
| Carry my soul away; | |
| Sweeter than wild bird’s throat, | 10 |
| Backward my memory float, | |
| On music’s wing my heart convey, | |
| Where southern stars in beauty glow, | |
| And Egmont lifts her brow of snow. | |
| |
| Again I ’ll see our long lost home | 15 |
| Upon Wairoa’s grassy plain; | |
| Among the fern the cattle roam; | |
| With idle rein upon his arm o’erthrown | |
| The shepherd guards his flocks again, | |
| And his shrill whistle with his dog’s bark blends, | 20 |
| As down the hill the woolly stream descends. | |
| |
| Or now, the early “muster” over, | |
| With Jim and Tom I ’m slowly riding | |
| Through the home-paddock white with clover, | |
| And followed close by Nip and Rover, | 25 |
| Their warm allegiance now dividing, | |
| For Tom’s fair sisters here we meet, | |
| And welcoming smiles their weary swains do greet. | |
| |
| Here in the world’s great heart abiding, | |
| We two have left the happy isle; | 30 |
| Australian grass Tom’s face is hiding, | |
| Jim in the spirit-land is riding. | |
| From weary thoughts my heart beguile! | |
| Sing, linnet, sing to me, | |
| Sing my soul across the sea. | 35 |
| |
| Yes! now my wings I feel, | |
| Once more the isle I see; | |
| Let sleep my eyelids seal | |
| While to those scenes I steal, | |
| Borne thus on melody; | 40 |
| So sweetly you have sung to me, | |
| Sung my soul across the sea. | |
| |
