by Thomas Cox (1823? - 1887)
The old oak tree
Language: English
Beside a murmuring river There stands an old oak-tree; It looks as green as ever, Still towering on the lea; It looks as fresh as ever On a cheerful summer's day: Old tree, in thee no change I see In the years that have roll'd away. There's a change in all things else, Nought looks the same save thee; How alter'd sounds the river's voice As it rushes to the sea! And the birds that sang upon thy boughs So sweetly in the May, All changed but thee, thou ancient tree, In the years that have roll'd away. Green are thy leaves, as when in Spring I lay and dream'd by thee; And the sight calls back my youth once more, Thou sturdy old oak-tree! But the friends of my youth, come not again, Oh where ! oh where are they? All gone but thee, thou ancient tree, In the years that have roll'd away. Light was the heart in those happy days, From cares and troubles free, When the birds sang blithe on thy pleasant boughs, Thou sturdy old oak-tree. But the birds are gone, and the friends are gone, That met in the merry May, All changed but thee, thou ancient tree, In the years that have roll'd away.
Authorship:
- by Thomas Cox (1823? - 1887), "The old oak tree", appears in Poems Descriptive and Lyrical, London: published for the author by Hall, Smart, and Allen, pages 52-53, first published 1865 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Mary Grant Carmichael (1851 - 1935), "The old oak tree", published 1885 [voice and piano], London: Weekes & Co. [text not verified]
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2013-01-26
Line count: 32
Word count: 211