William Stanley Braithwaite, "Holly Berry and Mistletoe: Lyrics" (1901)
THE trees are bare, wild flies the snow,
Hearths are glowing, hearts are merry —
High in the air is the Mistletoe,
Over the door is the Holly Berry.
Never have care how the winds may blow,
Never confess the revel grows weary —
Yule is the time of the Mistletoe,
Yule is the time of the Holly Berry.
II.
Come trip a measure,
Let the heart be gay,
Yule grants a pleasure
None can say us nay.
Let the song be merry ,
Be it fast or slow
Hope is in the Holly -Berry,
And Love in the Mistletoe .
Of the year, the sadness
'Tis we rememberNow is time for gladness
Here in December .
High may drift the snow ,
Winds may lift and carry—
But Love comes with the Mistletoe ,
And Hope with the Holly -Berry.
III.
What makes the house so quiet today ?
Children , you really must go and play .
This is the time for holly and joys,-
Here, my pets , are your books and toys .
See , papa will blow your new horn , Ned
And shall he read a tale from your book, Fred?
And baby can rattle here on my knee
No? Won't take to my terms for a spree?
Mary, my little woman, my dear,
Come ... child be brave , brush away that tear
...Oh God ! my darlings how can we be gay,
And this, Mother's first Christmas away!
IV.
A large bright Star came out of the East-the mystic East ,
And o'er a city shone, where men were gay with wine and feast ;
Shawms were sounded , and maidens made the lutes sweet with song,
And a cry for the King went forth from the heart of the throng .
Dancers performed for the guests with jewelled ankles and ears ,
And the riotous deep applause went forth sounding the doom of years.
A large bright Star came out of the East-the mystic East !
And shone on two who walked away from the noise of the feast .
On the hill-side the weary two , to a stable made their way ,
To share with kine the chilly place till comes the break of day .
The woman dreamed in her sleep that night , woke in pain and smiled
The dream was but the light of a Star, the coo of a little child .
V.
December comes , snows come ,
Comes the wintry weather ;
Faces from away come
Hearts , must be together .
Down the stair - steps of the hours
Yule leaps the hills and towers-
--Fill the bowl and hang the holly,
Let the times be jolly.
Day comes , and night comes
And the guests assemble
Once again the old dream comes
That I would dissemble.
Falls a shadow 'cross the floor ,
Seen !-and is seen no more.
O that mem'ry would forego
The hanging of the Mistletoe .
Published in Colored American Magazine, December 1901
Portions also published in Lyrics of Love and Laughter, 1904