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“One Was Taken, And One Was Left” Lyrics by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

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Two harvesters walked through the rows of corn,
Down to the ripe wheat fields, one morn.
Both were fair, in the flush of youth,
With hearts of courage and eyes of truth—
Fair and young, with the priceless wealth
Of strength, and beauty, and glowing health.
Loud and clear was their mellow song
On the morning air, as they strode along.
And the reaper clashed on its yellow track,
And the song of the driver answered back
To the harvesters, as they bound the wheat
That sheaf on sheaf lay at their feet.
High rose the sun o'er the golden plain,
And the binders rested by the grain,
And sitting there, 'neath a friendly shade,
Each quenched the thirst that their labor made;
But one drank from the water mug,
And the other from the whiskey jug.
Back to their tasks went the binders twain,
Binding the sheaves of the yellow grain,
On sped the reaper, to and fro
Slaying the wheat with a cruel blow,
Leaving it slaughtered, rank on rank—
And again the binders paused and drank.
Higher and hotter rose the sun:
On sped the moments, one by one—
And again the binders stopped and quaffed
From the mug and the jug a cooling draught.
And slowly, slowly they bound the wheat
As the sun shone down with its scorching heat.
Slower, still slower, one youth goes round:
He falls—he lieth upon the ground.
A cry for help, and the workmen come
And carry their stricken comrade home.
"And one is taken, and one is left."
Weepeth the mother, "I am bereft."
One youth alone, on another morn,
Walks to the field through the rows of corn.
He who drank of the sparkling tide
Walketh still in his manhood's pride;
But he who drank from the jug lies low,
Dead, in the morn of his manhood's glow.
Credits
Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

About ““One Was Taken, And One Was Left”” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Read the complete lyrics to "“One Was Taken, And One Was Left”" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"“One Was Taken, And One Was Left”" is performed by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "“One Was Taken, And One Was Left”", explore more songs by Ella Wheeler Wilcox using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"“One Was Taken, And One Was Left”" is credited to Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

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