Those that loved of yore, O those that loved of yore! Hark through the stillness, O darling, hark! Through it all the ear of the mind
Knows the boat of love. Hark! Chimes the falling oar.
O half in vain they grew old.
Now the halcyon days are over, Age and winter close us slowly round, And these sounds at fall of even Dim the sight and muffle all the sound. And at the married fireside, sleep of soul and sleep of fancy, Joan and Darby. Silence of the world without a sound; And beside the winter faggot
Joan and Darby sit and doze and dream and wake— Dream they hear the flowing, singing river, See the berries in the island brake; Dream they hear the weir, See the gliding shallop mar the stream. Hark! in your dreams do you hear?
Snow has filled the drifted forest; Ice has bound the … stream. Frost has bound our flowing river; Snow has whitened all our island brake.
Berried brake and reedy island, Heaven below and only heaven above azure Through the sky’s inverted image Safely swam the boat that bore our love. Dear were your eyes as the day, Bright ran the stream, bright hung the sky above. Days of April, airs of Eden. How the glory died through golden hours, And the shining moon arising, How the boat drew homeward filled with flowers. Bright were your eyes in the night: We have lived, my love; O, we have loved, my love. Now the … days are over, Age and winter close us slowly round.
Vainly time departs, and vainly Age and winter come and close us round.
Hark the river’s long continuous sound.
Hear the river ripples in the reeds.