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Hymns and Tunes 1886 270

When shall we meet again

Tune: Unity6s & 5s.

1When shall we meet again,
Meet ne'er to sever?
When will peace
wreathe her chain
Round us forever?
Our hearts will ne'er repose,
Safe from each blast that blows,
In this dark vale of woes,
Never,—no, never!

2When shall love freely flow
Pure as life's river?
When shall friendship glow,
Changeless forever?
There bliss each heart shall fill,
And tears of joy distil
Never,—no, never!

3Then to that world of light
Take us, dear Saviour;
May we all there unite,
Blessed forever;
Where friendship's endless dwell,
There may our music swell,
And time our joys dispel
Never,—no, never!

4Soon shall we meet again,
Meet ne'er to sever;
Soon shall peace wreath her chain
Round us forever;
Our hearts shall then repose,
Secure from worldly woes,
Our songs of praise shall close
Never,—no, never!

Tune
Unity

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
6.5.3.3.5.7.6.6.5 · the hymnal prints 6s & 5s.
Foot
dactylic (DUM-da-da) · 48% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCDBEEEB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

When shall we meet again,/˘˘/˘/6A
Meet ne'er to sever?//˘/˘5B
When will peace/˘/3C
wreathe her chain?˘/3D
Round us forever?/˘˘/˘5B
Our hearts will ne'er repose,/˘/˘/˘/7E
Safe from each blast that blows,/˘//˘/6E
In this dark vale of woes,˘˘//˘/6E
Never,—no, never!/˘˘/˘5B

Verse 2

When shall love freely flow/˘//˘/6A
Pure as life's river?/˘//˘5B
When shall friendship glow,/˘/˘/5A
Changeless forever????˘/˘6C
There bliss each heart shall fill,////˘/6D
And tears of joy distil˘/˘/˘/6D
Never,—no, never!/˘˘/˘5C

Verse 3

Then to that world of light/˘˘/˘/6A
Take us, dear Saviour;/˘//˘˘6B
May we all there unite,˘˘////6A
Blessed forever;/˘/˘4C
Where friendship's endless dwell,//˘/˘/6D
There may our music swell,/˘/˘/˘/7D
And time our joys dispel˘//˘/˘/7D
Never,—no, never!/˘˘/˘5C

Verse 4

Soon shall we meet again,/˘˘/˘/6A
Meet ne'er to sever;//˘/˘5B
Soon shall peace wreath her chain/˘//˘/6C
Round us forever;/˘˘/˘5B
Our hearts shall then repose,/˘/˘/˘/7D
Secure from worldly woes,˘/˘/˘/6D
Our songs of praise shall close/˘/˘/˘/7E
Never,—no, never!/˘˘/˘5B

Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.