Waes Hael

After the clutter of Christmas is cleared away 
And shops are shorn of lurid displays,

Now, outside, there’s a stirring in the trees

As merry music leads

Us along familiar ways

Into the old orchard, ablaze

With flickering torchlight

And a brazier of fire, burning bright.

Pots and pans are clanged

And shotguns banged:

Decluttering the trees of lingering malignants;

Replacing them with little lighted lanterns

And pieces of dunked and drunken toast

For Robin, the good-fellow, to make the most

As we raise our voices in joyful boasts:

‘Ere’s to thee - Old Apple Tree!

With wreaths of evergreen leaves

A Wassail King and Queen are crowned

And the Loving Cup is passed around

Overflowing with hot mulled cider

Bringing warmth and cheer inside as

We, outdoors, in the darkness of night

And the frosty grip of winter’s might,

Stand together to treasure and appease

The cold and naked apples trees

And wish good health to them:

In root and fruit, in branch and stem.

And so enjoining one another

To make merry in Midwinter

And celebrating the bond between bark and skin

We hope, once more, the trees will bring -

In autumn after summer after spring -

(As much as we give to them in our Wassailing)

So then, again, at Apple-Time we may all share

The wealth of the orchard: many an apple & many a pear!

Waes Hael!! Drinc Hael!!