POEMS BY MISS ELIZA JANE STEPHENS.
15
THE NEW YEAR.
The New Year comes, all myrtle crowned,
And bearing brimming cups of wine;
His breath is sweet with mirth and song,
His robes with very whiteness shine.
And bearing brimming cups of wine;
His breath is sweet with mirth and song,
His robes with very whiteness shine.
He bids us don our gay attire.
And taste of pleasures rich and rare;
And sings of life a syren's song,
Attuned to some delusive air.
And taste of pleasures rich and rare;
And sings of life a syren's song,
Attuned to some delusive air.
There's time, he says, for us to toil,
When just a few more mouths are flown:
Why should we wait on carking care,
When joys like these may be our own.
When just a few more mouths are flown:
Why should we wait on carking care,
When joys like these may be our own.
Why should we choose to join the throng,
Who burdens lay on heart and brain?
As if the very hands that sowed,
Were sure to reap the golden grain
Who burdens lay on heart and brain?
As if the very hands that sowed,
Were sure to reap the golden grain
Too well he knows his subtle power,
Full well he knows our love of ease,
How soon we shirk whate'er annoys,
For what is light and meant to please.
Full well he knows our love of ease,
How soon we shirk whate'er annoys,
For what is light and meant to please.
Too long we've listened to his wiles,
We've trifled more than two score years;
'Tis time we answered duty's call,
So long unheeded by our ears.
We've trifled more than two score years;
'Tis time we answered duty's call,
So long unheeded by our ears.
'Tis time we gave our thought and strength
To work, lest we should feel the shame,
Of having lived out all our days,
And nothing done to earn a "name.
To work, lest we should feel the shame,
Of having lived out all our days,
And nothing done to earn a "name.
For soon with grizzled head and beard,
The year itself will haste away,
And leave us with reproaches too,
For every lost or misspent day.
The year itself will haste away,
And leave us with reproaches too,
For every lost or misspent day.
THE LEAVES.
The Autumn wines were blowing
With all their fearless might,
And make the hills and forests
A sad and cheerless sight;
With all their fearless might,
And make the hills and forests
A sad and cheerless sight;
While thick along my pathway,
The fading leaves were seen,
With hues much like the rainbow.
Instead of simple green:
The fading leaves were seen,
With hues much like the rainbow.
Instead of simple green:
And as I slowly walked along
Upon this carpet fair,
Thinking of castles here om earth,
Or building some in air;
Upon this carpet fair,
Thinking of castles here om earth,
Or building some in air;
I saw a leaf both bright and green,
Still clinging to a tree,
Instinctively I paused awhile.
To note its destiny.
Still clinging to a tree,
Instinctively I paused awhile.
To note its destiny.
When lo! a sudden gust of wind
Soon snapped it from the stem,
And fresher than the other leaves,
It lay along with them;
Soon snapped it from the stem,
And fresher than the other leaves,
It lay along with them;
But scarce was it upon the ground
Ere all were borne way—
I saw that in the chilly blast
It fared the same as they.
Ere all were borne way—
I saw that in the chilly blast
It fared the same as they.
And then I knew, what first I might,
Had it but been my care,
That in the changes great for all,
Each leaf must bear a share.
Had it but been my care,
That in the changes great for all,
Each leaf must bear a share.
With us, methinks, 'tis much the same,
Our life, though not as brief,
Has many changes, and as great
As those that 'wait the leaf.
Our life, though not as brief,
Has many changes, and as great
As those that 'wait the leaf.
Though some may seem to be more blest
Than others for awhile,
Have more of health, and more of wealth,
And more of friendship's smile,
Than others for awhile,
Have more of health, and more of wealth,
And more of friendship's smile,
Yet soon beneath misfortune's blast,
We see them sadly fall,
And then we learn that grief and change,
Alike await us all.
We see them sadly fall,
And then we learn that grief and change,
Alike await us all.
AUTUMN.
Wild Asters bloom beside the road,
With Golden Rod the pasture's gay,
And leaves are brightening on the the trees
As Autumn winds begin their away.
With Golden Rod the pasture's gay,
And leaves are brightening on the the trees
As Autumn winds begin their away.
The Thistle's down floats on the air
Like little fairies clothed in white,
While cricket's chirp amid the glass,
And buds are southward taking flight.
Like little fairies clothed in white,
While cricket's chirp amid the glass,
And buds are southward taking flight.
No brilliant butterflies are seen,
They vanished with the summer's heat,
But bees are humming all around
And gathering their stores of sweet.
They vanished with the summer's heat,
But bees are humming all around
And gathering their stores of sweet.
The fruit is dropping from the boughs,
And fields of coin all ripened stand,
And nuts are scattered on the ground
For troops of children near at hand.
And fields of coin all ripened stand,
And nuts are scattered on the ground
For troops of children near at hand.
The woods a darker shadow cast
And they no more resound with song,
The evening air is damp and chill,
And Katy-Dids their cries prolong.
And they no more resound with song,
The evening air is damp and chill,
And Katy-Dids their cries prolong.
And so wo gather 'round the fire
And watch the embers fade and glow,
And meditate on days to come
When earth is wrapt in ice and snow.
And watch the embers fade and glow,
And meditate on days to come
When earth is wrapt in ice and snow.
LIFE.
We linger here a little time,
Amid these scenes that ever change,
But whether dark or whether bright,
There's always something new and strange.
Amid these scenes that ever change,
But whether dark or whether bright,
There's always something new and strange.
And wo are ever changing too,
From when we Hist behold the light,
Until our mortal day Is done,
And we are borne beyond the night.
From when we Hist behold the light,
Until our mortal day Is done,
And we are borne beyond the night.
We all have had some blessed hope
That sometimes raised our spirits high,
And all have had depressing fears
Whose memory still brings a sigh.
That sometimes raised our spirits high,
And all have had depressing fears
Whose memory still brings a sigh.
And sometimes joy has been a guest
From which we hoped to ne'er part,
But sorrow came with awful power
To chill and crush the bravest heart.
From which we hoped to ne'er part,
But sorrow came with awful power
To chill and crush the bravest heart.
We've all had friends whoso tireless love
Gave life its dearest, sweetest charm,
We've had our foes whoso only wish
Would seem to be of doing harm.
Gave life its dearest, sweetest charm,
We've had our foes whoso only wish
Would seem to be of doing harm.
We've tasted pleasures, idle, vain,
And fleeting as the early flowers,
But pain came lasting and severe,
We wondered why so much was ours.
And fleeting as the early flowers,
But pain came lasting and severe,
We wondered why so much was ours.
And darkest doubts will surely come,
And question of the life above,
But faun may triumph over all
And lead us to the laud of love.
And question of the life above,
But faun may triumph over all
And lead us to the laud of love.
