American Old Time Song Lyrics: 59 Shells Of Ocean

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 59

SHELLS OF OCEAN.

One Summer eve, with pensive thought,
I wandered on the sea-beat shore.
Where oft, in heedless infant sport,
I gathered shells in days before-
Where oft, in heedless infant sport,
I gathered shells in days before.

The splashing waves like music fell,
Responsive to my fancy wild,
A dream came o'er me like a spell,
I thought I was again a child-
A dream came o'er me like a spell,
I thought I was again a child.

I stood upon the pebbly strand,
To cull the toys that 'round me lay.
But as I took them in my hand,
I threw them one by one away-
But as I took them in my hand,
I threw them one by one away.

"Oh, thus," I said, "in every stage.
By toys our fancy is beguiled.
We gather shells from youth to age.
And then we leave them like a child -
We gather shells from youth to age.
And then we leave them like a child."