by Henry Stevenson Washburn (1813 - 1903)
The vacant chair
Language: English
We shall meet but we shall miss him. There will be one vacant chair. We shall linger to caress him While we breathe our ev'ning prayer. When one year ago we gathered, Joy was in his mild blue eye. Now the golden cord is severed, And our hopes in ruin lie. Chorus: We shall meet, but we shall miss him. There will be one vacant chair. We shall linger to caress him While we breathe our ev'ning prayer. At our fireside, sad and lonely, Often will the bosom swell At remembrance of the story How our noble Willie fell. How he strove to bear the banner Thro' the thickest of the fight And uphold our country's honor In the strength of manhood's might. (Chorus) True, they tell us wreaths of glory Evermore will deck his brow, But this soothes the anguish only, Sweeping o'er our heartstrings now. Sleep today, O early fallen, In thy green and narrow bed. Dirges from the pine and cypress Mingle with the tears we shed. (Chorus)
Text Authorship:
- by Henry Stevenson Washburn (1813 - 1903), "The vacant chair" [author's text not yet checked 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 George Frederick Root (1820 - 1895), "The vacant chair", 1861. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-11-03
Line count: 31
Word count: 172