THE SHADES of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice,
A banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!

His brow was sad; his eye beneath,
Flashed like a falchion from its sheath,
And like a silver clarion rung
The accents of that unknown tongue,
Excelsior!

In happy homes he saw the light
Of household fires gleam warm and bright;
Above, the spectral glaciers shone,
And from his lips escaped a groan,
Excelsior!

"Try not the Pass!" the old man said;
"Dark lowers the tempest overhead,
The roaring torrent is deep and wide!"
And loud that clarion voice replied,
Excelsior!

"Oh, stay," the maiden said, "and rest
Thy weary head upon this breast!"
A tear stood in his bright blue eye,
But still he answered, with a sigh,
Excelsior!

"Beware the pine-tree's withered branch!
Beware the awful avalanche!"
This was the peasant's last Good-night,
A voice replied, far up the height,
Excelsior!

At break of day, as heavenward
The pious monks of Saint Bernard
Uttered the oft-repeated prayer,
A voice cried through the startled air,
Excelsior!

A traveller, by the faithful hound,
Half-buried in the snow was found,
Still grasping in his hand of ice
That banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!

There, in the twilight cold and gray,
Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay,
And from the sky, serene and far,
A voice fell, like a falling star,
Excelsior!

The shades of night were falling fast
As through a Hampshire village passed
A Pig who bore through snow and ice
A banner with the strange device
Excelsior

His brow was sad his eye beneath
Was hid by fat within its sheath
Like Mr Irving¹s unknown tongue
A strange fat voice around him sung
Excelsior!

In happy home, he sees the light
Of kitchen fires gleam warm and bright
Like roasted crackling the glaciers shine
He sights and thinks, that fate is mine
Excelsior!

Try not to pass, the old man said
You¹ll sell like bricks when you are dead
There¹s great demand for bacon here
And you¹ll go down unkommon with our beer
Excelsior!

"Oh stay" the maiden cried "and rest
Pork is the meat which I love best"
He answered, winking his blue eye
Pork makes gals bilious, then they die
 Excelsior!

"Beware the pinetree¹s withered branch
Beware oakfaggot¹s shivered craunch"
This was the peasant¹s last goodnight
"We sweels* our pigs before daylight"
Excelsior!

At break of day I had a dream
Methought I heard an awful scream
And a great pig with a claw like ice
Showed to the world this strange device
Excelsior!

There in the twilight, cold and grey
Lifeless but beautiful he lay
And solemn voices seem to say
Fresh pork and sausages today
Excelsior

*Hampshire for singeing hogs