"The Fay of the Falls" (1858)
Poetry by Sydney Dyer
Music by Joseph Philbrick Webster, 1819-1875

Chicago: Higgins. Bros., No. 45 Lake St.
[Source: 127/059@Levy]

1. When nature lies calmly in midnight repose,
And the anvil no longer rings sharp on the ear,
A melody floats from the waves as it flows,
In murmurs of sweetness enchanting to hear.

CHORUS
Hark! distant and dying, that silvery voice calls,
’Tis the soft melting lay of the Fay of the falls.
Hark! distant and dying, that silvery voice calls,
’Tis the soft melting lay of the Fay of the falls.

2. How plaintive its accents! it murmurs in sighs
Till the air seems to thrill with its exquisite flow,
And the stars, looking pensively down from the skies
In sympathy throb with a tremulous glow.

CHORUS
List! distant and dying, that voice ever calls,
And sweet is the song of the Fay of the falls.
List! distant and dying, that voice ever calls,
And sweet is the song of the Fay of the falls.

3. It mourns for the days when a long the green shore,
The thick flow’ring spray droop’d its bows to the stream,
And the red hunter’s bark the bright wave floated o’er,
Ere the hills had re-echoed the clangor of steam.

CHORUS
Hark! distant and dying, a voice sadly calls,
’Tis the tremulous tones of the Fay of the falls.
Hark! distant and dying, a voice sadly calls,
’Tis the tremulous tones of the Fay of the falls.

4. The shore is despoiled of its green forest bowers,
Where natures sweet warblers their carrols awoke,
And the wild deer have fled, for the dun city towers
By the marge of the stream, with its din and its smoke.

CHORUS
Hark! distant and dying, that pensive voice calls,
In the soft melting strains of the Fay of the falls.
Hark! distant and dying, that pensive voice calls,
In the soft melting strains of the Fay of the falls.

5. The dark clouds of water fowl come nevermore
To scream mid the rushes, in wildest of glee;
The dull notes of commerce have usurp’d the shore,
While it burdens each wave going down to the sea.

CHORUS
Hark! distant and dying, that pensive voice calls,
In the soft melting strains of the Fay of the falls.
Hark! distant and dying, that pensive voice calls,
In the soft melting strains of the Fay of the falls.

6. Sing on mournful spirit! thy song shall ne’er cease,
While the wave hurries on to its home in the main;
But ev-er, when earth is reposing in peace
Into night’s list’ning ear pour thy soul melting strains.

CHORUS
Hark! distant and dying, we list in thy calls,
Our hearts shall respond to the Fay of the falls.
Hark! distant and dying, we list in thy calls,
Our hearts shall respond to the Fay of the falls.