 | Songs in many keys |  |
20
MEMORY.
Pale Memory sat musing by the fire,
Her sad eyes turned toward the days long past,
And in them burned an unfulfilled desire,
Bitter and wild regrets and yearnings vast.
Her sad eyes turned toward the days long past,
And in them burned an unfulfilled desire,
Bitter and wild regrets and yearnings vast.
Dim shadowy phantoms peopled all the room,
Amongst them friends long vanished from the scene,
Who came from out the dark encircling gloom
And spake of times and things that once had been.
Amongst them friends long vanished from the scene,
Who came from out the dark encircling gloom
And spake of times and things that once had been.
Before her pass'd the years of sweet delight,
And in her ears rang silver songs and mirth,
While as the dead days rose again to sight,
She for the first time saw how bless'd was earth.
And in her ears rang silver songs and mirth,
While as the dead days rose again to sight,
She for the first time saw how bless'd was earth.
She knew it now, but knew it all too late;
No resurrection for the life once o'er,—
Against such hope was ever closed the gate;
The stone could ne'er be rolled from that tomb's door!
No resurrection for the life once o'er,—
Against such hope was ever closed the gate;
The stone could ne'er be rolled from that tomb's door!
58
Blessings were hers not reckoned at their worth,
Or lightly taken as they daily came,
And this remembrance bow'd her head to earth,
And touched her faded cheek with burning flame.
Or lightly taken as they daily came,
And this remembrance bow'd her head to earth,
And touched her faded cheek with burning flame.
So as she thought of years beyond recall,
With all that might have been, and could not be,
Adown her wasted face the tears did fall,
And still she cried—“Ah well-a-day! Ah me!”
With all that might have been, and could not be,
Adown her wasted face the tears did fall,
And still she cried—“Ah well-a-day! Ah me!”
| Songs in many keys | |