A CHRISTMAS SONG. The Old Land and the New.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 30, 29 December 1883, Page 6

A CHRISTMAS SO NG. The Old Land and the New.

[BY W. R. WILLS. 1

Sage and Bard in the olden lime Sang loving and sweet a mirthful rhyme, Carol, or lay, or roundelay, Or hymn divine. And say, shall we, In this happy Southern realm to-day, Be sad and silent, or glad and gay ? Shall our hearts give forth a merry chime— A carol of love for Christmas time 1 The roses are out in their summer garb, The tiger-li]y is flaunting gay— The song of the lark is soft and sweet. And sweet the breath of the new-mown hay. Over the meadows the buttercups throw Their golden sheen of summer glow ; And we think of happy childhood's home, When Christmas-tide was white with snow. -When oar hearts were young, our spirits light. In the dear old land so far away— When village bells ranc a merry chime Of love and peace for Christmas Day ; And we think of kearts which love us yet, And beat in unison with ours. They have true hearts amid the snow, As ours are true amid the flowers. We sit beneath the myrtle tf ees And talk, dear Motherland, of thee— And fancy views the glowing fires Old Christmas brings with revelry. They sing of peace, goodwill to men ; We sing the same dear song to-day ; They kies beneath the mistletoe ; We kiss beneath the orange spray. We Bing the dear old English songs, And weave the cbaplet now and then, And hearts will beat with love and pride In boasting we are Englishmen ! And so we sing this Christmas tide A song, my Motherland, to thee, And pray thai God will watch and keep Our island home beyond the sea.

I. We love the land that gave us birth, Though her skies are not so fair, As, the dear new land that smiles and laughs In sunbeams bright and rare." And though our hearts to this new land ■Must beat both firm and true, We'll not forget the dear old land, . Although we love the new.

11. Old England has her woodland slopes, f And fields of golden grain ; New Zealand glows with fern and rose, On mountain, hill, and plain. We've roamed in boyhood's happy time, O'er England's cowslip dales ; To-day we tread, with love and pride, Now Zealand's flowery vales.

111. The ocean tide may roll between The islands of the free, • But'a golden chain of brotherhood - .Shall stretch across the sea. Our hearts shall beat as British hearts, To both lands ever true, ■For we fondly love the old land, ' Anddearly love the new^ ' } Sage and Bard in the olden time Sang loving and sweet a joyful rhyme ; And wp in thepe Southern realms to-day Sing peace to those who are far away, Peace and goodwill to one and all, . „ TJie riph and poor, the great andsmall ; Andm&y Ood s dear love and grace beside * '■ J Encompass all this Christmas-tide, Otahuhu,lBB3. ii; J ' '