 | [Poems by Harris in] The living writers of the South |  |
237
The Old and the New
I.
Clasp hands with those who are going,Kiss the lips that are raised to be kissed,
For the life of the Old Year is flowing
And melting away in the mist.
II.
A shadow lies black on the water,A silence hangs over the hill,
And the echo comes fainter and shorter,
From the river that runs by the mill.
III.
Greet the New Year with music and laughter,Let the Old shrink away with a tear!
But we shall remember hereafter
The many who die with the year.
238
IV.
Ay! we shall regret and rememberMary, and Maud, and Irene,
Though the swift-falling snow of December
Lies over them now as a screen;
V.
And the alternate sunshine and shadowSweep over their graves with a thrill,—
Irene lies asleep in the meadow,
And Mary and Maud on the hill.
VI.
Clasp hands with those who are going,Kiss the lips that are raised to be kissed,
For the life of the Old Year is flowing,
And melting away in the mist.
Agnes
She has a tender, winning way,
And walks the earth with gentle grace,
And roses with the lily play
Amid the beauties of her face.
And walks the earth with gentle grace,
And roses with the lily play
Amid the beauties of her face.
Whene'er she tunes her voice to sing,
The song-birds list, with anxious looks,
For it combines the notes of spring
With all the music of the brooks.
The song-birds list, with anxious looks,
For it combines the notes of spring
With all the music of the brooks.
Her merry laughter, soft and low,
Is as the chimes of silver bells,
That, like sweet anthems, float and flow
Through woodland groves and bosky dells.
Is as the chimes of silver bells,
That, like sweet anthems, float and flow
Through woodland groves and bosky dells.
And when the violets see her eyes,
They flush and glow with love and shame,
Then meekly droop with sad surprise,
As though unworthy of the name.
They flush and glow with love and shame,
Then meekly droop with sad surprise,
As though unworthy of the name.
239
But still they bloom where'er she throws
Her dainty glance and smiles so sweet,
And e'en amid stern winter's snows
The daisies spring beneath her feet.
Her dainty glance and smiles so sweet,
And e'en amid stern winter's snows
The daisies spring beneath her feet.
She wears a crown of Purity,
Full set with woman's brightest gem,—
A wreath of maiden modesty,
And Virtue is the diadem.
Full set with woman's brightest gem,—
A wreath of maiden modesty,
And Virtue is the diadem.
And when the pansies bloom again,
And spring and summer intertwine,
Great joys will fall on me like rain,
For she will be forever mine!
And spring and summer intertwine,
Great joys will fall on me like rain,
For she will be forever mine!
| [Poems by Harris in] The living writers of the South | |