A Happy New Year, filled with joys,
To all the Merry girls and boys.
May each month o'erflow with pleasure,
And every day give heaping measure
Of merry hours and moments bright,
Full of wisdom and delight.
Every season loves to impart
Pleasure to the youthful heart.
Though Winter, with relentless hand,
Locks Nature fast in icy band,
He smiling spreads o'er all below
The welcome covering of snow,
And with loud breezes laughs to see
The glorious sport and happy glee.
Forth from their homes the children troop,
With many a loud halloo, and whoop.
The sleighs are out, and swift they fly,
As meteors darting from the sky,
Down the hill, along the plain,
Like swallows skimming o'er the main.
Or on the crystal-covered tide
The circling skaters smoothly glide
With graceful curve and motion fleet,
As Mercury with wingéd feet.
New life is sparkling from their eyes,
And to their cheeks new beauties rise.
Then hail to Winter!  May his reign
Be short and glorious, till again
Spring shall come with witching smile
To melt his sternness, and beguile
The scepter from his willing hand,
And spread her glory o'er the land.