The Sweep's Carol

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Title:     The Sweep's Carol
Author: George Pope Morris [More Titles by Morris]

[Written to be sung in character, for the purpose of introducing the wild, peculiar, and well-known cry or carol of the sweeps of New York.]

Through the streets of New York City,
Blithely every morn,
I carolled o'er my artless ditty,
Cheerly though forlorn!
Before the rosy light, my lay
Was to the maids begun,
Ere winters snows had passed away,
Or smiled the summer sun.
CAROL--O--a--y--e--o!

In summer months I'd fondly woo
Those merry, dark-eyed girls,
With faces of ebon hue,
And teeth like eastern pearls!
One vowed my love she would repay--
Her heart my song had won--
When winter snows had passed away,
And smiled the summer sun.
CAROL--O--a--y--e--o!

A year, alas! had scarcely flown--
Hope beamed but to deceive--
Ere I was left to weep alone,
From morn till dewy eve!
She died one dreary break of day!--
Grief weighs my heart upon!--
In vain the snows may pass away,
Or smile the summer sun.
CAROL--O--a--y--e--o!

[The end]
George Pope Morris's poem: Sweep's Carol

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