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 that he was born And was always his treasure and pried But it stopped short Never to go again When the old man died Ninety years without slumbering Tick, tock, tick, tock His life seconds numbering Tick, tock, tick, tock It stopped short Never to go again When the old man died It watching its pendulum Swing to and fro Many hours had he spent while a boy And in childhood and manhood The clock seemed to know And to share both his grief and his joy For it struck twenty-four When he entered at the door With a blooming and beautiful bride But it stopped short Never to go again When the old man died For it struck twenty-four When he entered at the door With a blooming and beautiful bride But it stopped short Never to go again When the old man died It rang an alarm In the dead of the night An alarm that for years had been dumb And we know that his spirit Was pluming for flight That his hour of departure had come Still the clock kept the time With a soft and muffled chime As we silently stood by his side But it stopped short Never to go again When the old man died Ninety years without slumbering Tick, tock, tick, tock His life seconds numbering Tick, tock, tick, tock It stopped short Never to go again When the old man died It stopped short Never to go again When the old man died