Poems (David)/The Past
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For works with similar titles, see The Past.
THE PAST.
YES, by-gone days have such a charm,
Unmatched by pleasure's gayest scene;
Pure and short, her childhood's happy day,
And boyhood's bright illusive dream!
Unmatched by pleasure's gayest scene;
Pure and short, her childhood's happy day,
And boyhood's bright illusive dream!
The hazle copse and wooded knoll,
Rise now again to us so fair;
When voices hushed and faces fled
Were once gay sporting with us there!
Rise now again to us so fair;
When voices hushed and faces fled
Were once gay sporting with us there!
At times, amidst the twilight, book in hand,
I watch the embers of the winter's fire;—
The grey past rises: again I see
A river, and a city's spire.
I watch the embers of the winter's fire;—
The grey past rises: again I see
A river, and a city's spire.
A rise of meadows, oh! so bright and green,
With river creeping slowly all along;
With hedge-rows gemmed with many a flower.
Cheered by the throstle's gayest song!
With river creeping slowly all along;
With hedge-rows gemmed with many a flower.
Cheered by the throstle's gayest song!
And then a change comes o'er my dream,
To my own dull and dusty nook;
Where oft with aching head and weary brain,
I toil along amidst my books.
To my own dull and dusty nook;
Where oft with aching head and weary brain,
I toil along amidst my books.
Back comes the vision of the golden past,—
Of boyhood, and my college day,—
Of old familiar faces that I lov'd,
Still unforgot, though pass'd away!
Of boyhood, and my college day,—
Of old familiar faces that I lov'd,
Still unforgot, though pass'd away!
Oh'! still amidst my waking dreams I hover
O'er the noble city's ancient street;
And with friends long buried, tread them
Once again with busy feet!
O'er the noble city's ancient street;
And with friends long buried, tread them
Once again with busy feet!
The old hazel copse I loved so well
My feet may track no more;
No, the grand old city, quaint and gay,
Still rises as of yore!
My feet may track no more;
No, the grand old city, quaint and gay,
Still rises as of yore!
Now forty long years have come and gone,
My earliest boyhood's hopes fulfilled,
Since first I saw those towers rise,
And felt ambition's latent thrill!
My earliest boyhood's hopes fulfilled,
Since first I saw those towers rise,
And felt ambition's latent thrill!
Oh! time has come! and time must go!—
And pleasures all have pass'd away;—
Yet still from those glad seasons shine
Mem'ries too bright to know decay!
And pleasures all have pass'd away;—
Yet still from those glad seasons shine
Mem'ries too bright to know decay!