Poems (Sharpless)/To Time
TO TIME
Floating further and further from us,
As we drift down life's stream,
The beautiful visions of childhood
Dissolve in a misty dream.
As we drift down life's stream,
The beautiful visions of childhood
Dissolve in a misty dream.
There were hopes that we fondly cherished,
Of deeds we could do and dare;
Do we ever know hopes so unselfish
As those of our childhood were?
Of deeds we could do and dare;
Do we ever know hopes so unselfish
As those of our childhood were?
There were visions then, all unquestioned,
By the simple trust of our youth,
Of a world where every brow was clear,
Where the lips only spoke the truth.
By the simple trust of our youth,
Of a world where every brow was clear,
Where the lips only spoke the truth.
These were all things that have been,
But lingeringly look we back
On those vanishing forms of beauty,
While urging our onward track.
But lingeringly look we back
On those vanishing forms of beauty,
While urging our onward track.
Oh! Time, we resign unto thee
Those early loves of ours;
There clingeth a fragrance round them yet,
Tho' they be but withered flowers.
Those early loves of ours;
There clingeth a fragrance round them yet,
Tho' they be but withered flowers.
Our hopes, our ambition, blighted,
By the world's all chilling breath,
We resign to thee; but oh, leave us
Our childhood's simple faith!
By the world's all chilling breath,
We resign to thee; but oh, leave us
Our childhood's simple faith!
Leave us the faith that answers
That Heaven lose not its light,
That our soul be not affrighted
By the perils of the night.
That Heaven lose not its light,
That our soul be not affrighted
By the perils of the night.
Leave us the faith that answers
When storms threat to o'erwhelm;
I cannot fear, my Father's hand
Is steering at the helm.
When storms threat to o'erwhelm;
I cannot fear, my Father's hand
Is steering at the helm.