Poems (Holmes)/Childhood's Scenes

by Alice Ann Holmes

Childhood's Scenes.

Dear are the scenes of childhood's-days,
 Though long years have passed them by,
When to our minds kind memory brings
 Our own first-loved and native sky,
Though o'er us a wild deep sadness steals,
 As we dwell on early joys,
When hills and glens our play-ground formed,
 And flowers our choicest toys;
And when on the green mead's grassy plain
 We sought for the primrose fair,
And flowery cups of golden hue,
 That grow spontaneous there;
When our young hearts beat lightly and gay,
 Unchecked by sorrow and care,
And gayly we sported and sung,
 As birds that float in the air;
And when on each successive morn
 We in the schoolhouse gayly met,
And learned from books and teachers kind
 Lessons we remember yet:
Or, when the hours for school were o'er,
 We met on the verdant lawn,
And merrily joined in sportive plays,
 Oft cheered by the hunter's horn;
And when winter spread its snowy garb
 So beauteous o'er the earth,
Fairy tales we told where glowing coals
 Added cheer to the social hearth.
And many other joys are known
 In childhood's golden years,
That never, oh never, grace the path
 Of those in loftier spheres.
And e'en though mingled joy and sadness
 Fill our souls while we recall
Scenes that first our hearts rejoiced in,
 Still remembered be they all.