 | Verses of a life time |  |
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MY KNITTING WORK.
Youth's buds have oped and fallen from my life's expanding tree,
And soberer fruits have ripen'd on its harden'd stalks for me;
No longer with a buoyant step I tread my pilgrim way,
And earth's horizon closer bends from hastening day to day.
And soberer fruits have ripen'd on its harden'd stalks for me;
No longer with a buoyant step I tread my pilgrim way,
And earth's horizon closer bends from hastening day to day.
No more with curious questioning I seek the fervid crowd,
Nor to ambition's glittering shrine I feel my spirit bowed,
But, as bewitching flatteries from worldly ones depart,
Love's circle narrows deeply about my quiet heart.
Nor to ambition's glittering shrine I feel my spirit bowed,
But, as bewitching flatteries from worldly ones depart,
Love's circle narrows deeply about my quiet heart.
Home joys come thronging round me, bright, blessed, gentle, kind;
The social meal, the fireside book, unfetter'd mind with mind;
The unsought song that asks no praise, but spirit-stirr'd and free,
Wakes up within the thoughtful soul remember'd melody.
The social meal, the fireside book, unfetter'd mind with mind;
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Wakes up within the thoughtful soul remember'd melody.
Nor shall my humble knitting work pass unregarded here,
The faithful friend who oft has chas'd a furrow or a tear,
Who comes with still unwearied round to cheer my failing eye,
And bid the curse of ennui from its polished weapons fly.
The faithful friend who oft has chas'd a furrow or a tear,
Who comes with still unwearied round to cheer my failing eye,
And bid the curse of ennui from its polished weapons fly.
Companionable knitting work! when gayer friends depart,
Thou hold'st thy busy station even very near my heart;
And when no social living tones to sympathy appeal,
I hear a gentle accent from thy softly clashing steel.
Thou hold'st thy busy station even very near my heart;
And when no social living tones to sympathy appeal,
I hear a gentle accent from thy softly clashing steel.
My confidential knitting work! a trusty friend art thou,
As smooth and shining on my lap thou liest beside me now;
Thou know'st some stories of my thoughts the many may not know,
As round and round the accustom'd path my careful fingers go.
As smooth and shining on my lap thou liest beside me now;
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As round and round the accustom'd path my careful fingers go.
Sweet, silent, quiet knitting work! thou interruptest not
My reveries and pleasant thoughts, forgetting and forgot!
I take thee up, and lay thee down, and use thee as I may,
And not a contradicting word thy burnish'd lips will say.
My reveries and pleasant thoughts, forgetting and forgot!
I take thee up, and lay thee down, and use thee as I may,
And not a contradicting word thy burnish'd lips will say.
My moralizing knitting work! thy threads most aptly show
How evenly around life's span our busy threads should go;
And if a stitch perchance should drop, as life's frail stitches will,
How, if we patient take it up, the work may prosper still.
How evenly around life's span our busy threads should go;
And if a stitch perchance should drop, as life's frail stitches will,
How, if we patient take it up, the work may prosper still.
THE END.
| Verses of a life time | |