BETA

Long Ago.

‘It is not now as it hath been of yore.’
O the days of long ago !1
The summer days of long ago !2
Still the June promise breaks out in a glow3
Of intense blue sky ; and sweet roses blush,4
And woodlands are green with a golden flush,5
And along the meadows the mowers go ;6
But o’ercrossing it all in a shadow lies—7
It is from the sun, or over our eyes ?8
No shadows rested there long ago !9
O the flowers of long ago !10
The primrose banks of long ago !11
The woodbine clusters in every hedgerow ;12
The cowslip fields with their harvest-like gleam,13
The forget-me-nots growing beside each stream,14
The ponds with gay lily-buds all aglow,15
The daisies—no daises now seem to my mind16
Like the pink-edged daisies wee used to find17
In the May-bushed meadows long ago !18
O the friends of long ago !19
The parted friends of long ago !20
Alas, that we ever could let them go !21
We have won to us other friends since then—22
Strong-hearted women, true and steadfast men ;23
We’ve tried them, and proved them, and found
them so ;24
But we miss—if the truth we dare confess—25
The trust and the loving unselfishness26
Of the dear old friends of long ago !27
O the love of long ago !28
The fond, young love of long ago !29
It was not all foolishness, now we know :30
It made for us then a pure paradise31
Of opening flowers and innocent eyes,32
Till the thorns and thistles had time to grow.33
With longer and fuller love now we thrill ;34
Yet an angel guardeth the mem’ry still35
Of our first young love-time, long ago !36
O the hopes of long ago !37
The brave, vain hopes of long ago !38
We vowed to diminish the want and woe39
That darken this earth God made so bright ;40
We meant to stand ever firm to the right,41
That the world through us should the better grow.42
We felt strong as young giants in our might ;43
But who of us all has fought out the fight,44
And kept to the faith of long ago ?45
O the sunny long ago !46
The careless, happy long ago !47
Borne forward on Time’s never-ceasing flow,48
We backward glance through the gathering haze49
Of dreary nights, and still drearier days,50
To the friends, the hopes, and the lilies’ glow ;51
And we utter a cry of longing vain52
For the life that we never can live again,53
That died in our spring-time long ago !54
Yearning so for long ago,55
Wailing so for long ago,56
A hope arises that softens the woe—57
Of a land where we shall renew our youth,58
And wear the the white robes of unwav’ring truth ;59
And walk in the fields where the am’ranths grow,60
And meet a Friend who has ever been true,61
And look on a Sun whom no shadows pursue,62
And never more wish for time long ago !63