Century Magazine/Volume 57/Issue 3/The Blessed Present
Pluck me yon rose, but say not, "‘T will not last!"
Or that "To-morrow’s rose may be more sweet."
Say not, the darling bird I hear, will fleet
When its green summer home yields to the blast.
This moment, freed from Fear, that shrank aghast—
From Hope, that ran on wing'd, mercurial feet,
I, Sovereign of the Present, hold my seat!
All smile on me, and smiles on all I cast.
Oh, hitherto, my love, I have been thrall
To the old Past, dim ringing with regret;
Or else, uncertain days of bliss to be
Made me all restless with their veering call:
But thou bestowest wealth I ne'er had yet—
The blessed Present thou dost bring to me!
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1925, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 98 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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