Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

Beside the Ungathered Rice He Lay Lyrics by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Five Choral Ballads, Op. 54

0

Beside the ungathered rice he lay
\nHis sickle in his hand;
\nHis breast was bare, his matted hair
\nWas buried in the sand
\nAgain, in the mist and shadow of sleep
\nHe saw his Native Land
\n
\nWide through the landscape of his dreams
\nThe lordly Niger flowed;
\nBeneath the palm-trees on the plain
\nOnce more a king he strode;
\nAnd heard the tinkling caravans
\nDescend the mountain-road
\n
\nHe saw once more his dark-eyed queen
\nAmong her children stand;
\nThey clasped his neck, they kissed his cheeks
\nThey held him by the hand!--
\nA tear burst from the sleeper's lids
\nAnd fell into the sand
\n
\nAnd then at furious pace he rode
\nAlong the Niger's bank;
\nHis bridle-reins were golden chains
\nAnd, with a martial clank
\nAt each leap he could feel his scabbard of steel
\nSmiting his stallion's flank
\n
\nBefore him, like a blood-red flag
\nThe bright flamingoes flew;
\nFrom morn till night he followed their flight
\nO'er plains where the tamarind grew
\nTill he saw the roofs of Caffre huts
\nAnd the ocean rose to view
\n
\nAt night he heard the lion roar
\nAnd the hyena scream
\nAnd the river-horse, as he crushed the reeds
\nBeside some hidden stream;
\nAnd it passed, like a glorious roll of drums
\nThrough the triumph of his dream
\n
\nThe forests, with their myriad tongues
\nShouted of liberty;
\nAnd the Blast of the Desert cried aloud
\nWith a voice so wild and free
\nThat he started in his sleep and smiled
\nAt their tempestuous glee
\n
\nHe did not feel the driver's whip
\nNor the burning heat of day;
\nFor Death had illumined the Land of Sleep
\nAnd his lifeless body lay
\nA worn-out fetter, that the soul
\nHad broken and thrown away!\n\n
Credits
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

About “Beside the Ungathered Rice He Lay” by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Read the complete lyrics to "Beside the Ungathered Rice He Lay" by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor from the album "Five Choral Ballads, Op. 54". 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 Pop.

"Beside the Ungathered Rice He Lay" is performed by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. from the album "Five Choral Ballads, Op. 54" 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 "Beside the Ungathered Rice He Lay", explore more songs by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 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.

View all songs and biography for Samuel Coleridge-Taylor · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Beside the Ungathered Rice He Lay" is credited to Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Beside the Ungathered Rice He Lay" appears on "Five Choral Ballads, Op. 54".

Visit the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor artist page at /artist/samuel-coleridge-taylor for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.