The Burial in the Snow



How well do I remember
Of a burial in the snow,
On a winter's evening
Some fifteen years ago;
The ground was covered over
With the beautiful crystal snow,
And it glistened in the moonlight,
Like diamonds all aglow.

It was a pleasant evening,
That merry Christmas eve;
And I never can forget, how
The frost hung on the tree.
The moon was shining clearly,
And the sleigh-bells rang so sweet;
Ah, it was splendid sleighing,
The snow was two feet deep.

My grandparents were living
Some two miles then away,
My parents went to see them,
To spend the holiday.
I went with my kind parents,
For the evening was sublime,
To see dear aunts and uncles,
And have a merry time,

I saw the beaming faces
Of my grandparents dear,
As they met us on the door-step,
With welcome words of cheer.
In fancy I can see them
As in the days of yore,
When they welcome home their children
Through the old familiar door.

The banquet board that evening,
Was filled with cake and wine,
Delicious fruits and oysters
That came from foreign clime.
It was a merry party
That met once more to roam,
My grandparents were happy,
Their children were all home.

Grandpapa said, "dear children,
Lay the tea things aside,
And some of you get ready
To take a pleasant ride.
The moon is shining clearly,
The evening is sublime,
O'er the crystal snow we'll glide,
And have a jolly time."

Hats and cloaks were soon put on,
By those who wish to go,
They were wrapped up snug and warm,
For a sleigh ride o'er the snow.
Their hearts were light and gleeful,
They rode away with ease,
I never can forget them,
Or that merry Christmas eve.

On that beautiful evening,
They rode five miles away,
O'er hills, and dales, and frozen snow,
With prospects bright and gay.
They came to their journey's end,
And soon were homeward bound,
A more joyous, happy band
Was nowhere to be found,

The merry sleigh bells ringing
Out on the midnight air,
And merry voices singing
All "right side up with care! "
The horses were high-spirited,
They ran away, and lo!
Broke loose from the sleigh, and left
It buried in the snow.

The people of that party
Lay scattered all around,
Some were frightened, others laughed,
To think it happened so,
That the end of their sleigh ride
Was a burial in the snow.

Yet they were gay and happy,
The bright moon o'er them shone,
And laughing o'er their sleigh ride,
They all went trudging home.
Some of those friends are dead and gone,
That met in that old home,
And never will we meet again,
Around that dear hearth stone.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

2:20 min read
100

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCBABXB CDXEEXCX CFGFXHXH XIXIGJKJ CXXGELEL KMEMEHMH XBXBXXGD CFBFXNXN COCOXBXB ENXBMB EPMLXLXP
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 2,409
Words 462
Stanzas 11
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 6, 8

Julia A Moore

Julia Ann Moore was an American poetaster. Like Scotland's William McGonagall, she is famed chiefly for writing notoriously bad poetry. more…

All Julia A Moore poems | Julia A Moore Books

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    Which of these famous poems is written in villanelle form?
    A Funeral Blues
    B Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
    C The Owl And The Pussycat
    D Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening