Drop a Pebble in the Water

by James William Foley

Drop a pebble in the water — jes’ a splash an’ it is gone,
But th’s half a hundred ripples circlin’ on, an’ on, an’ on,
Spreadin’, spreadin’ from the center, flowin’ on out to the sea,
An’ th’ ain’t no way o’ tellin’ where th’ end is goin’ to be.

Drop a pebble in the water — in a minute ye forget,
But th’s little waves a-flowin’ an’ th’s ripples circlin’ yet;
All th’ ripples flowin’, flowin’, to a mighty wave hev grown,
An’ ye’ve disturbed a mighty river — jes’ by droppin’ in a stone…

Drop a word o’ cheer an’ kindness — jes’ a flash an’ it is gone,
But th’s half a hundred ripples circlin’ on, an’ on, an’ on,
Bearin’ hope an’ joy an’ comfort on each splashin’, dashin’ wave,
Till ye wouldn’t b’lieve the volume o’ th’ one kind word ye gave.

Drop a word o’ cheer an’ kindness — in a minute ye forget,
But th’s gladness still a-swellin’ an’ th’s joy a-circlin’ yet;

An’ ye’ve rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles an’ miles o’ water — jes’ by droppin’ a kind word.