The old dog lies on the warm stone hearth

And he dreams of the world with a sigh, with a sigh,

As the fire burns low in the slow-rising dark,

For the world’s gone by, gone by

 

His mind flows back to a day so fair

To a stick leap hot breath wind whirl joy

To the sun-warmed sky and the sea-filled air

And his love without end for his boy

His love without end for his boy

 

For the world’s gone by and the world’s gone by, gone by, gone by, gone by…  x2

 

    Now a strange man sits with trembling pen

    Signing papers that came on the wire, 

    But the dog is a-dance on the sand in the sun

    As he sleeps and he sighs by the fire

 

And the slow-fading scent of his boy in this room,

Lit by grey fur blown gold from the flame,

Is as fresh in the dream of the dog on the stone

As the kiss of the sun and the joy of his game 

​

…And he hears the boy call out his name

 

For the world’s gone by and the world’s gone by, gone by, gone by, gone by…  x4