Ah, neither blame, for neither willed, To veer, how vain! On, onward strain, But O blithe breeze, and O great seas, One One port, methought, alike they sought, hold where'er they fare, O bounding breeze, O rushing seas! purpose At last, at last, unite them there! "Come, wander with me," she said, And read what is still unread And he wandered away and away And whenever the way seemed long, She would sing a more wonderful song, So she keeps him still a child, Though at times his heart beats wild Though at times he hears in his dreams And the mother at home says, "Hark! For his voice I listen and yearn; It is growing late and dark, And my boy does not return!" HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW. NEW YEAR'S EVE. CVI. RING out, wild bells, to the wild sky, Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring out the grief that saps the mind, Ring out a slowly dying cause, Ring out the want, the care, the sin, Ring out false pride in place and blood, Ring out old shapes of foul disease; Ring out the harrowing lust of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace. Ring in the valiant man and free, ALFRED TENNYSON. In Memoriam BREAK, BREAK. BREAK, break, break, On thy cold gray stones, O Sea! And I would that my tongue could utter O well for the fisherman's boy, That he shouts with his sister at play! O well for the sailor lad, That he sings in his boat on the bay! And the stately ships go on To their haven under the hill; But O for the touch of a vanish'd hand, Break, break, break, At the foot of thy crags, O Sea! But the tender grace of a day that is dead Will never come back to me. ALFRED TENNYSON. A PSALM OF LIFE. TELL me not, in mournful numbers, Life is real! Life is earnest! Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Art is long, and Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave. In the world's broad field of battle, Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant! act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o'erhead Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, |