Author: Oliver Wendell Holmes

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    Come, heap the fagots! Ere we go
    Again the cheerful hearth shall glow;
    We 'll have another blaze, my boys!
    When clouds are black and snows are white,
    Then Christmas logs lend ruddy light
    They stole from summer days, my boys,
    They stole from summer days.

    And let the Loving-Cup go round,
    The Cup with blessed memories crowned,
    That flows whene'er we meet, my boys;
    No draught will hold a drop of sin
    If love is only well stirred in
    To keep it sound and sweet, my boys,
    To keep it sound and sweet.

    Give me, to pin upon my breast,
    The blossoms twain I love the best,
    A rosebud and a pink, my boys;
    Their leaves shall nestle next my heart,
    Their perfumed breath shall own its part
    In every health we drink, my boys,
    In every health we drink.

    The breathing blossoms stir my blood,
    Methinks I see the lilacs bud
    And hear the bluebirds sing, my boys;
    Why not? Yon lusty oak has seen
    Full tenscore years, yet leaflets green
    Peep out with every spring, my boys,
    Peep out with every spring.

    Old Time his rusty scythe may whet,
    The unmowed grass is glowing yet
    Beneath the sheltering snow, my boys;
    And if the crazy dotard ask,
    Is love worn out? Is life a task?
    We'll bravely answer No! my boys,
    We 'll bravely answer No!

    For life's bright taper is the same
    Love tipped of old with rosy flame
    That heaven's own altar lent, my boys,
    To glow in every cup we fill
    Till lips are mute and hearts are still,
    Till life and love are spent, my boys,
    Till life and love are spent.

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Type of Poem: Ballad

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem exudes a warm and inviting atmosphere, celebrating the enduring power of companionship, tradition, and love. The poet employs an intimate, conversational tone, regularly addressing "my boys," which fosters a sense of camaraderie and shared experience. The recurrent use of this phrase also adds a rhythmic consistency, further enhancing the poem's musical quality.

The theme of remembrance and the cyclical nature of life is deftly woven through the stanzas. The poet illustrates this through vivid and tactile images such as the burning of Christmas logs "stolen from summer days," and the "breathing blossoms" that stir the speaker's blood. These images serve as poignant reminders of past warmth and beauty, even in the heart of winter, symbolizing the enduring vitality and continuity of life and love. The repeated personification of Time as an "old dotard" with a "rusty scythe" further underscores this theme, portraying life as a force that resists time's blunt attempts to diminish it. The tone remains resolutely optimistic, as depicted in the communal refusal to see life as a "task" and love as "worn out."

The structure of the poem, composed of six quatrains each followed by a refrain, contributes to its rhythmic and musical quality. The regular rhyme scheme (ABCB) complements this sense of rhythm and order, mirroring the cyclical themes within the poem. The use of simple, yet powerful, metaphors and the rich sensory imagery make the poem both accessible and emotionally resonant, drawing readers into the warm, convivial world it creates.