Paganistan: Notes from the Secret Commonwealth

In Which One Midwest Man-in-Black Confers, Converses & Otherwise Hob-Nobs with his Fellow Hob-Men (& -Women) Concerning the Sundry Ways of the Famed but Ill-Starred Tribe of Witches.

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Harvest Hymn

Posted by on in Culture Blogs

Anglican vicar Henry Alford wrote the original lyrics to the Harvest hymn Come Ye Thankful People Come in 1844; it's generally sung to George Job Elvey's tune, St. George, Windsor. You can hear it here in Steeleye Span's version from their 1980 album, Sails of Silver. (The song Marigold comes first; the first verse of "Harvest Home" comes at the end.)

Here's our version of this Harvest classic, as we've sung it at our Harvest Supper every year for the last 38 years now. High Anglican diction and heavy-handed imagery notwithstanding, it still chokes me up every time.

 

Come Ye Thankful People Come

 

Come ye thankful people, come:

raise the song of Harvest Home.

All is safely gathered in

ere the winter storms begin.

Earth our Mother doth provide

for our wants to be supplied.

Come ye thankful people, come:

raise the song of Harvest Home.

 

Earth our Mother is the field:

we the fruit her womb doth yield;

we the seed the Sun hath sown,

unto joy and sorrow grown.

First the blade, and then the ear,

then the full corn doth appear:

bless us, Mother, then, that we

wholesome, golden grain may be.

 

When our day of life is done,

she will take her harvest home:

gather all her children in

so that new life may begin.

And when we have planted been,

then we shall spring up again:

Queen of Harvest, grant that we

may return eternally.

 

Come ye thankful people, come:

raise the song of Harvest Home.

All is safely gathered in

ere the winter storms begin.

Earth our Mother doth provide

for our wants to be supplied.

Come to her own temple, come:

raise the song of Harvest Home.

 

 

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Poet, scholar and storyteller Steven Posch was raised in the hardwood forests of western Pennsylvania by white-tailed deer. (That's the story, anyway.) He emigrated to Paganistan in 1979 and by sheer dint of personality has become one of Lake Country's foremost men-in-black. He is current keeper of the Minnesota Ooser.

Comments

  • Tasha Halpert
    Tasha Halpert Thursday, 21 September 2017

    This is so very lovely. Thanks so much for sharing. I do enjoy your columns, Blessed Be, Tasha

  • Steven Posch
    Steven Posch Friday, 22 September 2017

    Thanks, Tasha, and a Happy Harvest to you. Most covens have a Book of Shadows; we have a songbook instead. After Yule and Beltane, Harvest has more traditional songs than any other holiday.

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