Prepare the house, kind friends, drape it and deck it
With leaves and blossoms fair;
Throw open doors and windows, and call hither
The sunshine and soft air.

Let all the house, from floor to ceiling, look
Its noblest and its best;
For it may chance that soon may come to me
A most imperial guest

A prouder visitor than ever yet
Has crossed my threshold o'er,
One wearing a royal sceptre and a crown
Shall enter at my door;

Shall deign, perchance, sit at my board an hour,
And break with me my bread;
Suffer, perchance, this night my honored roof
Shelter his kingly head.

And if, ere comes the sun again, he bid me
Arise without delay,
And follow him a journey to his kingdom
Unknown and far away;

And in the gray light of the dawning morn
We pass out from my door,
My guest and I, silent, without farewell,
And to return no more, –

Weep not, kind friends, I pray; not with vain tears
Let your glad eyes grow dim;
Remember that my house was all prepared,
And that I welcomed him.