To Miss Marie Elina Conran
"The Leaves That Fall in Spring" (1859)
Ballad
Words by John Brougham, Esq.
Music by John Rogers Thomas, 1830-1896

New York: William Hall & Son, 543 Broadway
Plate No. 4356
Engraver: Clayton
[Source: @NYPL]

1.
When winter winds are wailing,
And death rides on the breeze,
With icy breath assailing
The stark and sapless trees,
It grieves me not to see,
For 'tis their time to die,
And with all nature wither,
The leaves that round us lie.
  And with all nature wither,
  The leaves that round us lie.

2.
But, when the day is teeming
With life, and love, and light,
And in our path is beaming,
The sunray of delight;
It saddens us to see,
Oh! 'tis a mournful thing,
They should untimely perish,
The leaves that fall in spring!
  They should untimely perish,
  The leaves that fall in spring.

3.
What tho' young life has parted,
From earth ere spring has past!
Or old and weary bearted,
It yields to winter's blast!
Grieve not but humbly bended
Submissive to the call,
Nor scorn their simple teaching,
The leaves that round us fall,
  Nor scorn their simple teaching,
  The leaves that round us fall.