My Grandfather’s Clock

My Grandfather's clock was too large for the shelf
So  it stood ninety years on the floor
It  was taller by half than the old man himself
Though it weighed not a pennyweight more

It was bought on the morn of the day he was born
It  was always his treasure and pride
And  it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died

In watching its pendulum swing to and fro
Many  hours he spent as a boy
And in childhood and manhood the clock seemed to know
And it shared both his sorrow and joy

And it struck twenty-four when he entered the door
With  a blooming and beautiful bride
And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died

Ninety years without slumbering, (bell: tick, tock, tick, tick)
It's life seconds numbering, (bell: tick tock, tick, tock)
And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died

My Grandfather said that of those he could hire
Not a servant so faithful he found
It wasted no time and it had one desire
At the end of the week to be wound

And it stayed in its place, not a frown upon its face
And it's hands never hung by it's side
And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died

Now it rang an alarm in the still of the night
An alarm that for years had been dumb
We knew that his spirit was pluming in flight
That his hour of departure had come

Still the clock kept its time with a soft and muffled chime
As we silently stood by his side
And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died

Ninety years without slumbering, (bell: tick tock, tick, tock)
It's life seconds numbering, (bell: tick tock, tick, tock)
And it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died
Yes it stopped short, never to go again, when the old man died