Poems (Gifford)/Memories

by Elizabeth Gifford

For works with similar titles, see Memories.

MEMORIES.

Shall we sing, or shall we weep
As life's memories we keep?
For so varied is the store
That we ponder o'er and o'er,
And who can results appraise
Of events of bygone days?
Days when life seemed perfect sunshine,
Not a cloud that we could tell,
Days when life seeemed utter darkness
That no morn could e'er dispel.
Sunny summer bliss has been
Smitten by an anguish keen;
Dreary days of doubt and dread
Have brought bright surprise instead;
Swift have followed smiles and tears
All along the circling years.

Memories! memories! how they gather
 Around everything we know,
 Keeping fresh the long ago,
 Lengthening out our joy, our woe,
 Whether we desire or no—
 Are we fain to have it so,
 Or would we such thought forego,
Choosing blank oblivion rather?

Never, never can we smother
Memories of father, mother,
Memories of sister, brother,
Memories of many another;
Memories of vanished faces,
Memories of altered places,
Memories of sin and sadness,
Memories of good and gladness,
Memories of sweet successes,
Memories of dire distresses,
Memories of plans defeated,
Memories of hopes repeated,—
What tumultuous thoughts they bring!
Shall we weep, or shall we sing?
****
Ah! one remembrance shines above
All that we know of chequered life,
A mighty one has come in love,
And for our sakes endured its strife;
Endured a strife beyond all thought,
And our salvation fully wrought;
And out of sight e'en now He stands,
Blending all changes for our good,
And what He fully understands
By us shall soon be understood.
Then, nevermore shall there be pain,
And nevermore shall there be night,
But every good shall live again,
And life shall be unshadowed light.

And so we banish all regret
For grief that we would not forget;
And so we silence every fear,
And so with memories drear and dear
Such wondrous, glorious hopes we twine,
So glad, so sure, because divine.
And we will sing as best we may,
Till dawns for us that cloudless day.