The Christmas Holidays

 The Christmas Holidays by D. M.

The snow lies thick upon the ground,
The leaves have dropped from off the trees;
Of woodland songs we hear no sound,
For ice-cold is the bitter breeze.

The singing birds are silent now,
With mournful look and drooping wing;
Starving of cold and hunger, how
Can they with mirthful music sing?

But winter has its charms for those
Who live in happy homes. Our boys
Our girls, who know nor grief nor woes,
Ah! winter has for them its joys:

Its happy Christmas holidays,
When home, so dear, seems dearer yet;
With mother's kiss and father's praise,
Ah! who such joys can e'er forget?

And then the Christmas visit paid
To Granddad in his country home;
Where many a merry boy and maid
Will cry, 'Granddad, we've come, we've come!'

Dear youthful days, how bright they seem
To happy-hearted girl and boy!
In after years they're but a dream,
But still, a dream of love and joy.