Poems (Elgee, 1907)/Vanitas
VANITAS.
HE glory of Life is fleeting;Its splendour passeth away,
With tints and odours meeting
The flowers we twined to-day.
How brightly, in varied light,
They reflected the morning sun;
But the chilling dews of the nigh
Withered them one by one.
They reflected the morning sun;
But the chilling dews of the nigh
Withered them one by one.
So the stream of Existence floweth
O'er the golden sands of youth,
In the light of a joy that gloweth
From the depths of its love and truth.
O'er the golden sands of youth,
In the light of a joy that gloweth
From the depths of its love and truth.
But heavy, and cold, and fast,
The gathering clouds uprise,
Eclipsing the light, which cast
On the waters a thousand dyes.
The gathering clouds uprise,
Eclipsing the light, which cast
On the waters a thousand dyes.
And onward, in sullen endeavour,
Like a stream in a sunless cave,
It floweth in darkness ever:
Yet—could we thus reach the grave?
Like a stream in a sunless cave,
It floweth in darkness ever:
Yet—could we thus reach the grave?
But we wake to a sorrow deeper—
The knowledge of all we have lost;
And the light grows fainter and weaker
As we're borne from youth's sunny coast.
The knowledge of all we have lost;
And the light grows fainter and weaker
As we're borne from youth's sunny coast.
Yet onward with drifting motion,
Still farther from life and light;
Around us a desert Ocean—
Above us eternal Night.
Still farther from life and light;
Around us a desert Ocean—
Above us eternal Night.