Poems (Linn)/Then and Now

by Edith Willis Linn

THEN AND NOW.

THE blossoming clover, the clouds floating over,
The birds that soared high and sang to the sky,
     The ships that sailed by;

The grass that waved lightly, the eyes dancing brightly,
The child free from care, the sea bright and fair,
     Where are they, oh, where?

Now garnered the clover, dark clouds have come over,
The birds that were gay, are silent to-day,
     The ships far away.

The grass has known reaping, the strong seas are sweeping,
The heart has known fears, the eyes have known tears,
     And time tells the years.

New harvests of clover, white clouds floating over;
The birds sing and soar, the grass waves once more,
     The seas kiss the shore;

But—eyes dancing brightly, the child laughing lightly;
The heart free from care, the ships staunch and fair—
    Where are they, oh, where?