Poems (Sharpless)/Tide of Time
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TIDE OF TIME
Roll back, roll back, oh tide of time,
Upon thy rock-ribbed shore;
Give me the friends I knew lang syne,
But never shall know more.
Upon thy rock-ribbed shore;
Give me the friends I knew lang syne,
But never shall know more.
Give me the buds of radiant glow,
Those buds of trust and faith;
Brighter than stars they used to blow,
And lovely e'en in death.
Those buds of trust and faith;
Brighter than stars they used to blow,
And lovely e'en in death.
Give me again the happy heart
That gathered honey where
It uses every searching art
To garner up despair;
That gathered honey where
It uses every searching art
To garner up despair;
Give me the fond caressing smile,
The gentle look, the tone
That all my childish woes beguiled;
Too early are they gone.
The gentle look, the tone
That all my childish woes beguiled;
Too early are they gone.
Roll back, relentless tide of time,
Too many treasures lie
Upon that rugged shore of thine
To pass them careless by.
Too many treasures lie
Upon that rugged shore of thine
To pass them careless by.
Still on, still on, thy steady stream
Moves to eternity,—
And only in my fancy's dream
Can I these treasures see.
Moves to eternity,—
And only in my fancy's dream
Can I these treasures see.
The shore beyond is gray and rough;
Behind, it fairer shines,—
But I have lingered long enough
Mid dreams of auld lang syne.
Behind, it fairer shines,—
But I have lingered long enough
Mid dreams of auld lang syne.
The future claims my throbbing heart;
No more of dreams for me;
Friends of my earlier years, we part;
Our meeting Heaven shall see.
No more of dreams for me;
Friends of my earlier years, we part;
Our meeting Heaven shall see.