 | [Poems by Cary in] Poets and poetry of the West |  |
CHRISTMAS.
O child! with spirit light and gay,
And voice as pleasant as a bird,
Yours is a merry Christmas-day,
Mine is too happy for that word!
And voice as pleasant as a bird,
Yours is a merry Christmas-day,
Mine is too happy for that word!
Changing and evanescent; such
Are all your hopes and all your fears;
My joy exceedeth yours as much
As doth the measure of my years.
Are all your hopes and all your fears;
My joy exceedeth yours as much
As doth the measure of my years.
Your pleasure every chance destroys,
It lies without your own control;
While all my best and purest joys
Have their deep sources in my soul.
It lies without your own control;
While all my best and purest joys
Have their deep sources in my soul.
Together, your possessions rest;
Not some below, and some above;
I've learned more wisely to invest
The treasures of my hope and love.
Not some below, and some above;
I've learned more wisely to invest
The treasures of my hope and love.
You change from rapture to distress
With every change; I've come to know
The value, and the worthlessness,
Of all that we can get below.
With every change; I've come to know
The value, and the worthlessness,
Of all that we can get below.
So have I learned, what yet you will,
When up to mine your feet have trod;
Trust in myself, and better still,
Trust in His creatures, and in God.
When up to mine your feet have trod;
Trust in myself, and better still,
Trust in His creatures, and in God.
| [Poems by Cary in] Poets and poetry of the West | |