William Cullen Bryant was a 19th century American romanticist poet, abolitionist and civil right advocate. Originally a lawyer, he started publishing poems in the early 1820s. Later in the decade he became the editor of the New York Review and the New York Evening Post, solidifying his position as a prominent man of letters and progressive politics.
As a writer, he is often brought into connection with the famous Hudson River School of art. What the painters of that school did on their canvases, Bryant did on paper, painting wonderful landscapes and nature scenes with his pen. If you like nature writing, you will love Bryant’s poetry!
In this post, however, I’ll present a poem of his on a holiday theme. Entitled ‘A Song for New Year’s Eve’, this one is a bittersweet parting with the old year, and a hopeful plea for better things coming with the new year. (It’s a bit of a tradition here on Grammaticus to end the year with a poem on a New Year theme – check out the previous one, “Ring Out, Wild Bells” by Lord Alfred Tennyson).
As always, this poetry post contains a simple vocabulary exercise for English language learners.
Stay yet, my friends, a moment stay—
Stay till the good old year,
So long companion of our way,
Shakes hands, and leaves us here.
Oh stay, oh stay,
One little hour, and then away.
The year, whose hopes were high and strong,
Has now no hopes to wake;
Yet one hour more of jest and song
For his familiar sake.
Oh stay, oh stay,
One mirthful hour, and then away.
The kindly year, his liberal hands
Have lavished all his store.
And shall we turn from where he stands,
Because he gives no more?
Oh stay, oh stay,
One grateful hour, and then away.
Days brightly came and calmly went,
While yet he was our guest;
How cheerfully the week was spent!
How sweet the seventh day’s rest!
Oh stay, oh stay,
One golden hour, and then away.
Dear friends were with us, some who sleep
Beneath the coffin-lid:
What pleasant memories we keep
Of all they said and did!
Oh stay, oh stay,
One tender hour, and then away.
Even while we sing, he smiles his last,
And leaves our sphere behind.
The good old year is with the past;
Oh be the new as kind!
Oh stay, oh stay,
One parting strain, and then away.
VOCABULARY EXERCISE
Find the words in the poem with the following meaning:
- generous, openhanded (adj.)
- amusement; joke; prank (n.)
- gentle, kind and affectionate (adj.)
- cheerful, joyful, jolly (adj.)
- a point of separation or departing (n.)
- a narrow box in which a dead body is buried (n.)
- to give generously (v.)
- a person or animal one spends a lot of time together; comrade; associate (n.)
You can check your answers by clicking on this link.
ADDITIONAL READING
Books by William Cullen Bryant (available on Project Gutenberg)
William Cullen Bryant Homestead (a National Park Service webpage)
COVER IMAGE
Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash
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