1. Snowdrops! lift your timid heads,
All the earth is waking,
Field and forest, brown and dead,
Into life are waking;
Snowdrops, rise, and tell the story,
How He rose, the Lord of glory.
2. Lilies! lilies! Easter calls!
Rise to meet the dawning
Of the blessèd light that falls
Through the Easter morning;
Ring your bells and tell the story,
How He rose, the Lord of glory.
3. Waken, sleeping butterflies,
Burst your narrow prison!
Spread your golden wings and rise,
For the Lord is risen;
Spread your wings and tell the story,
How He rose, the Lord of glory.
The following instructions for hand motions were published with this hymn:
v. 1, "Snow-drops"—hands held in front, in horizontal position. "Lift your timid heads" hands raised perpendicularly from the wrists. "How he rose," etc. arms gradually rising until their full length is reached. Do so each time these words are sung as a chorus.
v. 2." Ring your bells, and tell the story"—right arms in front, raised a little, and curved to represent a stem of lilies; imitate the ringing of bells by shaking the hand in regular motion up and down.
v. 3. "Waken, sleeping butterflies"—right and left hands, palm opposite palm, finger-tips touching, fingers slightly curved, to represent the chrysalis. "Burst your narrow prison"—hands opened slightly, with quick motion. "Spread your golden wings"—hands open, thumb to thumb. "Spread your golden wings and rise"—hands raised above, and moved to represent flying.
Source: The Cyber Hymnal #1316
Lathbury, Mary Ann, was born in Manchester, Ontario County, New York, Aug. 10, 1841. Miss Lathbury writes somewhat extensively for the American religious periodical press, and is well and favourably known (see the Century Magazine, Jan., 1885, p. 342). Of her hymns which have come into common use we have:—
1. Break Thou the bread of life. Communion with God. A "Study Song" for the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, written in the summer of 1880. It is in Horder's (Eng.) Congregational Hymns, 1884.
2. Day is dying in the west. Evening. "Written at the request of the Rev. John H. Vincent, D.D., in the summer of 1880. It was a "Vesper Song," and has been frequently used in the responsive services of the Chautauqua Literary and Sc… Go to person page >
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