 | Songs in many keys |  |
62
PAST AND FUTURE.
The bird was singing on the tree,
The summer still was in its prime,
And memories came borne to me,
With fragance of the honeyed lime.
The summer still was in its prime,
And memories came borne to me,
With fragance of the honeyed lime.
For weary years had o'er me flown,
Since here I watched the ripening corn,
And now I was unknown, alone,
Strange in the house where I was born.
Since here I watched the ripening corn,
And now I was unknown, alone,
Strange in the house where I was born.
Then was I but a simple boy,
Enchanting prospects opened round,
Fair worlds of love and hope and joy,
Vistas of glory without bound.
Enchanting prospects opened round,
Fair worlds of love and hope and joy,
Vistas of glory without bound.
The air was filled with music sweet,
No discord marr'd the tuneful strain,
Nor dreamt I, in my fond conceit,
There might be undertone of pain.
No discord marr'd the tuneful strain,
Nor dreamt I, in my fond conceit,
There might be undertone of pain.
63
The bitter truth at last I know,
The music from the world has fled,
The light departed long ago,
And all the sweetest flowers shed.
The music from the world has fled,
The light departed long ago,
And all the sweetest flowers shed.
And here I stand with tearful eyes,
Where first I looked upon the sun;
And though I've fought and gained the prize,
What pleasure now in having won?
Where first I looked upon the sun;
And though I've fought and gained the prize,
What pleasure now in having won?
Heart-sick I wander here forlorn,
The lost and loved lie cold and still;
I see the light of early morn
Touch their dark graves on yonder hill.
The lost and loved lie cold and still;
I see the light of early morn
Touch their dark graves on yonder hill.
And can earth offer nothing more
To those who boldly breast the wave,
Than pleasures hollow at the core,
Or empty fame, and then a grave?
To those who boldly breast the wave,
Than pleasures hollow at the core,
Or empty fame, and then a grave?
If so, thank God for hopes that shine
As radiant stars in wintry skies,
Kindled at altar-fires divine,
And gleaming bright upon the eyes.
As radiant stars in wintry skies,
Kindled at altar-fires divine,
And gleaming bright upon the eyes.
64
Earth's sorrows all shall pass away,
Like dreary shadows of the night,
Before the golden dawn of day,
That fills and floods the world with light.
Like dreary shadows of the night,
Before the golden dawn of day,
That fills and floods the world with light.
Sing on, sweet bird upon the tree,
Make glad the hours from chime to chime;
If more than sad be Memory,
Fair Hope predicts a coming time,
Make glad the hours from chime to chime;
If more than sad be Memory,
Fair Hope predicts a coming time,
When, having reached the happy shore
Whence all that pains has pass'd and fled,
We find the loved for evermore,
And clasp again our long-lost dead.
Whence all that pains has pass'd and fled,
We find the loved for evermore,
And clasp again our long-lost dead.
| Songs in many keys | |