O Henry —
Come out, come out of that cabin now
Come out, come out O Henry
I don’t know if I should tear it down
or keep well paid the sentry.
O Henry he stood in the cold dark night
his last match burned on the snow
no hope, no hope for him to find
yet a light flickered in the distance.
Step by step he made his path
foot by foot he went
’til in the cold dark night, all around him felt
the sweet warm tinge of shelter.
Come out, come out of that cabin now
Come out, come out O Henry
I don’t know if I should tear it down
or keep well paid the sentry.
O Henry he rapped on the cabin door
his knuckles burned from the cold.
Slowly, slowly the door it was opened
by gentle fingers of rose.
Sir, the hour is far too late
what are you doing here?
I ne’er open my cabin door
for strangers crossing near.
Come out, come out of that cabin now
Come out, come out O Henry
I don’t know if I should tear it down
or keep well paid the sentry.
O Henry pleaded, oh how he wept
to release him from the night.
No gentle heart could it refuse
the begging heard that night.
In the hearth a fire raged
thawing his bones of ice.
O Henry fell on his knees before
the maiden that saved his life.
Come out, come out of that cabin now
Come out, come out O Henry
I don’t know if I should tear it down
or keep well paid the sentry.
Ne’er before in all the land
was such praise shown as that night.
The cabin filled with the sounds of love
wrapped in the warmth of their light.
Years have passed,
oh, how they’ve flown,
as the two they built their life.
Times of joy and hardship they faced
and kept their home warm at night.
Come out, come out of that cabin now
Come out, come out O Henry
I don’t know if I should tear it down
or keep well paid the sentry.
Then did appear one icy month
a woman wrapped in fur.
O Henry did start when he saw her face
and the tears burst forth from her soul.
I’ve searched and wept for all these years
fearing you taken by death.
Oh worse, oh worse this fate must be
to find you in arms well kept.
Come out, come out of that cabin now
Come out, come out O Henry
I don’t know if I should tear it down
or keep well paid the sentry.
Those fingers of rose he’d come to love
recoiled from his touch,
and as the door slammed shut he thought he heard
the breaking heart of a dove.
O Henry he turned to face the wife
he’d abandoned long ago,
but she turned on her heel and his cheek was met
with the stinging kiss of the snow.
Come out, come out of that cabin now
Come out, come out O Henry
I don’t know if I should tear it down
or keep well paid the sentry.
January 2019
