A MERRY MADRIGAL.

By William Schwenck Gilbert

Brightly dawns our wedding day;

Joyous hour, we give thee greeting!

Whither, whither art thou fleeting?

Fickle moment, prithee stay!

What though mortal joys be hollow?

Pleasures come, if sorrows follow:

Though the tocsin sound, ere long,

Ding dong! Ding dong!

Yet until the shadows fall

Over one and over all,

Sing a merry madrigal —

Fal la!

Let us dry the ready tear;

Though the hours are surely creeping,

Little need for woeful weeping,

Till the sad sundown is near.

All must sip the cup of sorrow —

I to-day and thou to-morrow:

This the close of every song —

Ding dong! Ding dong!

What, though solemn shadows fall,

Sooner, later, over all?

Sing a merry madrigal —

Fal la!