(The Song Of Memory And Time.)

TIME.

Spring-tide come and winter going; Flower to seed, and seed to sowing; Seed and harvest, reaping, mowing.

MEMORY.

Life beginning, and life ending; Life his substance ever spending; Time to life his little lending.

TIME.

Hark! the wingèd winds are calling; Clouds the young year’s path appalling; Blooms of spring like snow are falling.

MEMORY.

Snows of spring green earth bestrewing! Wasted hopes must I be rueing, Spring of life there’s no renewing.

And after these had ceased their song, A company there passed along, In divers weed, and changeful mien, And glad, or sad, athwart my green: Their fluttering robes of dark or pale, Like leaves adrift on Autumn gale; And they like shadows o’er the grass Before my porch did singly pass, But through the house their voices rang, Tune-tongued like bells, as thus they sang:—